The latest technological advancements are slowly starting to reshape numerous industry sectors. Virtual reality applications have already been tested in branches such as healthcare or the automotive industry. While they will no doubts influence a wide range of niches in times to come, virtual reality and augmented reality technologies are making the biggest breakthrough in online gaming.
The massive growth of the global online gaming market
Online gaming has never reached the new heights in 2020 and the introduction of virtual reality and augmented reality features has certainly had an influence. Esports has never been as big as in the last year and we can only expect it to continue rising in popularity in the years to come. The market has become so big that it plays part in the online gambling industry as well.
Nowadays, the vast majority of sports betting operators listed on AmericaGambles and similar betting-related websites offer eSports events as a part of their betting catalogs. We can already look at virtual & augmented reality as an industry of its own. In 2019, the whole VR & AR market was $9 billion worth. By the end of this year, we are looking at an expected growth to a whopping $215 billion. This is why VR is one of the fastest-growing niches in the world.
Game developers are pushing the boundaries of possibilities
Game suppliers from all over the globe have recognized the players’ needs as well as the massive potential for the further growth of the socially distanced form of entertainment. They thus heavily invested in virtual reality& augmented reality elements, improved gameplay, and cutting edge graphics to bring the whole experience to a new level for the consumers. Moving forward, the games and consoles have never been as accessible and affordable as they use technologies such as blockchain for further development. With this in mind, only sky is the limit for the entire industry as this year promises an even greater excitement in store.
New VR games as our doors to fantasy worlds
Virtual reality made its debut back in the 1980s. However, it barely left any impact then as it provided primitive and expensive technology solutions. Its true effects have only begun to be felt almost half a century later.
Following the huge rise of the online gaming niche around the world, gamers now seek a more immersive experience. This is where it gets interesting for the developers who are giving their best to take advantage of the situation and instill the cutting edge VR elements into their latest creations in an attempt to beat competitors and claim bragging rights in the ever-expanding industry. The success of the titles such as the new Half-Life, Beat Saber, Astro Bot Rescue Mission, or Fairpoint is the best proof of the impact the new technology has on the gaming population.
Pokemon Go as a perfect example of an augmented reality success
Augmented reality combines real-life and virtual elements. It proved to be an impeccable blend on so many occasions over the last five years. Pokemon Go is a textbook example. The game was downloaded more than a billion times when it first saw the daylight in 2016.
The suppliers from all over the globe built on its success by crafting similar (and almost equally successful) creations such as Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, Ingress Prime, and Jurassic World Alive. None of the mentioned games resulted in a failure which is why we have so many reasons to expect a growing number of similar gaming options in 2021.