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Beginning, Middle and End: Trends of the Online Gaming Industry
The gaming industry is currently thriving, whilst some of its markets are in a slight decline other areas of the industry have been revitalised and re-evolved. PC gaming has found a new lease of life and mobile gaming in particular has gone from strength to strength. We take a look at some of the trends of the current online gaming industry that are helping to improve our online experiences as well as providing us with more ways in which to get involved with gaming.
THE MOBILE MARKET
The rise in mobile gaming and the way in which this cost effective source of gaming action has been popularised through the development of smartphones and tablets is quite astounding. Long gone are the days of the simple but much loved classic Nokia Snake game. We are now able to play incredibly high quality games on pocket-sized devices which can be accessed and enjoyed more conveniently than ever. The sheer range of games available covers all tastes and interests from new bingo sites to the latest massively multiplayer online games and this year mobile gaming revenue is expected to exceed that of console gaming. The increase is mostly thanks to its accessibility and the broader audience of players, some of which whom have never experienced gaming or online gaming before.
ESPORTS
Whilst gaming tournaments and other events have always been a popular staple for the diet of avid gamers and professional players alike the increasing popularity of eSports has helped solidify it as one of the leading global spectator sports. Esports combines multiplayer gaming experiences with big money events, some of which are contested in stadium sized surroundings that draw huge crowds of gaming fans. Competitions are often held online and viewable for spectators to stream and many of the top professional gamers who participate now earn a comfortable living much like other pro sports players in other fields do.
FREE-TO-PLAY
The concept of free to play game distribution is appealing for both players and developers. Players enjoy the fact that they can try out games for free and aren’t required to spend a penny but if they choose to customise their game in any way then they have the option to spend some money to enhance it further. This can be offered in the way of upgrading certain aspects of the game or purchasing additional levels or other features for small amounts of money. If the games are agreeable enough then the gamers will keep coming back looking to enhance their experience further and therefore generate revenue for the developers themselves. Although F2P method is predominantly utilised within the mobile gaming world the console and PC market has now caught on offering its users a similar online gaming experience to help drive failing revenue lost from their more expensive off-the-shelf titles.
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