2019 looks set to be a massive year for the gaming industry and gaming aficionados alike, as game developers seek to take advantage of some major new innovations and introduce some spectacular new technology to the field. Let’s take a look at some of the main trends that look set to dominate the year.
Augmented Reality
You simply cannot ignore the relative disappointment of VR. Year on year there has always been some sort of prediction made about the integration of virtual reality in gaming. However, a combination of factors like expensive hardware and massive risk meant that VR remains something of a flash in the pan. AR (Augmented Reality) is another story altogether. Pokemon Go was first, Harry Potter to an extent has followed and there are some big games on the horizon like ARZombie where you can defend your own house (yes, your house) against zombies (no, not real ones). You will actually have to run though (or you have the choice to) to give the game an exercise element. Expect more developments and variations on the theme. AR is here to stay.
Game Boosting
The rise of Fortnite has arguably been one of the biggest driving forces in game boosting services, but there is nothing to suggest that it is anything other than a rapidly expanding market. The likes of Rocket League and Fortnite dominate the market, but with new growth areas including AR gaming and mainstays like Fifa expanding their online gaming presence, along with more disposable income being spent on gaming, game boosting services are becoming more desirable all round. If you are a great gamer yourself you can’t sniff at the opportunity of coaching or boosting the accounts of willing buyers to potentially earn upwards of £500-£1000 per week!
Dedicated servers as ‘Gaming Social Media’
We spend more time gaming, but that doesn’t mean it has to be a solitary enterprise. Most games now have fully online modes and it is more and more possible to play with all your friends. Dedicated servers like Discord make it much more comfortable and seamless via a highly flexible chat channel to enable gamers to stay in touch while playing together.
The growth and growth of ESports
There is no end in sight for the growth of ESports and those early predictions that it wouldn’t be long before ESports participants would be the modern day rock stars or football idols are coming to fruition sooner than any of us might have imagined. The global audience for ESports will reach 456 million in 2019 and leagues like the Overwatch League will have teams playing in their own venues. The growth of Esports venues will be a big trend in 2019 and the Southeast Asian market is also expected to be the biggest area for growth.
Mobile Finally, but significantly gaming on mobile should reach new heights in 2019 with the stats backing this up. In the last 3 years, mobile internet use has grown from 155 minutes to 190 minutes each day (22.5%) and the industry shows no sign of slowing down its intention to dominate gaming.