The advances in technology are in perpetual motion and the avant-garde systems we use today will become obsolete tomorrow. It’s just the way it is because the public’s appetite for newer, faster, and better is insatiable. Below we will discuss what is on the technological horizon for next year as 2021 fades into the shadows and 2022 approaches as the newest frontier.
Mobile Gaming is Big Business
There was a time, not so long ago, when console games were all the rage. Every gamer needed the next iteration of PlayStation, Xbox, or any number of consoles that would keep them entranced for hours on end. However, the gaming landscape has shifted dramatically and as we become more mobile as a society our smartphones become even more vital. Therefore, it isn’t all that surprising that mobile gaming revenue has soared to over $90 billion which dwarfs the combined revenues of both the console and PC market.
Although esports and video games are the big-ticket items, we should not overlook the explosion of online gambling and sports betting that has taken the world by storm. The best sports betting apps will provide not only instant odds on sporting events but injury reports and detailed analysis of the matchups as well. Betting on professional sports has always been in play but with the advent of esports tournaments, you will find that many of the premier online sportsbooks will offer odds on League of Legends, Fortnite, and Dota 2 tourneys to name but a choice few.
And in addition, we will see more cross-platforms “talking†to each other which means console gamers will be able to play with their friends who prefer PC or mobile versions of the same game. We have seen this become increasingly popular and that trend will grow unabated. As 5G networks become more commonplace and unlimited data plans permeate the market there should be even greater mobile performance than we’ve seen in the past.
What’s Old is New Again
As the young software developers grow into maturity there is a natural inclination to fondly recollect some of the games we played as children. And with that in mind, we can expect to see some of the old classics brought back to life and reinvigorated with a modern twist.
There is no lack of nostalgia out there for the older titles that have grown dormant which means the gaming industry will fill this need, as it has begun doing and will continue to do so next year. Make sure to keep an eye out for your favorite childhood games because they will be bigger and better than ever when they hit the shelves in ’22.
Subscription-Based Models Due to Expand
It’s all about monetizing the games which is why we have them. If there is no incentive to make money then there will be no reason to produce the games we love. But that money has to come from somewhere and with most of the esports games being free to download we see that in-game purchases are the primary revenue stream for these games. Besides this, based on one of the last research on the esports industry, investment takes a huge part in its development. As a new field of the game industry, esports attracts investors, and it becomes one of the most profitable spheres. According to stats, the investor ByteDance is leading the shareholding world with a $4 billion investment in video game developer Moonton.
However, subscription-based models are becoming increasingly relevant and we can see this manifest in the following games:
Pass Royale (Clash Royale)
Battle passes (PUBG Mobile)
Booster subscriptions (Boom Beach)
VIP access (Wheel of Fortune)
Ad Removal subscriptions (Sand Balls)
If the player does purchase any of these subscriptions it doesn’t mean that there won’t be other opportunities to pay down the road. There will always be new skins, emotes, spells, or weapons to purchase. This will continue well into 2022 and beyond.
Virtual and Augmented Reality
Pokémon Go and its more than one billion downloads have proven that gamers like AR and that trend is expected to grow. More and more games will come equipped with AR or VR features and the more immersive the experience the better as far as most are concerned.
We will also see more athletic games hit the market with many gamers concerned about exercising after so much sedentary time in front of their phones or monitors. Streaming services like Twitch and YouTube will continue to feature live gaming and major tournaments.
It appears as though 2022 is shaping up to be a more enhanced version of 2021 but there will be completely new game titles and ideas that will keep us all enthralled. According to reports, esports has over 456 million audience members while over 2.5 billion people game to one degree or another. The global gaming market continues to soar and within four years the global gaming market will eclipse $257 billion.
That’s an enormous audience that is only getting bigger and the developers are doing everything in their power to entice a share of that audience to try their product and get addicted. The developers and publishers with the best titles will reap the greatest rewards and gamers will be the beneficiaries of their boundless imaginations.
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