Game Development Trends to Watch Out For

By NIIT Editorial

Published on 22/01/2021

6 minutes

Gaming is an industry that has shown its mettle against the pandemic last year. As businesses floundered and many struggled to even hang on to breadcrumbs for survival, the global gaming industry roared to record numbers. If projections are to be believed that the 2.7 billion gamers had spent about $159.3 billion on games in 2020. Based on this statistic, it is not beyond imagination to have the gaming industry breach the $200 billion annual revenue mark by 2023. Here are the gaming industry trends most likely to impact the developments positively.

Evolving User Preferences

It has been observed that regular gamers have developed a predilection for console-less gaming. Along with that, single-player games such as Red Dead Redemption and Assassin’s Creed are also a big hit and there is an increasing likelihood that such styles will see further developer-level involvement. Following closely this category is first-person shooter games. Gaming tends to grow on people, to the extent that a study reveals, as much as 38% of the gamers are aiming for professional-level expertise and competitions.

Artificial Intelligence

Game developers would be bonkers not to leverage AI models to deliver better gaming experiences. Multiplayer games could be one place to start. Using Artificial Intelligence in game development, developers could determine the components that effectuate high chemistry amongst team members as well as game-involvement. An example could be the time when you are in a losing position.

At such an instance, if artificial crowd cheers can help you turn the tables then that would be a learning for the AI. Immersive technologies like AR and VR are gaining craze as well. The virtual reality market for gamers is expected to grow from $2.4 billion by 2024. The combined powers of AI, AR, and VR will transform gaming as we know it forever.

Mobile Gaming

Smartphones are right up there giving computers, tablets, and consoles a run for their money. The multi-utility facets of a smartphone gel well with game developers who can reach customers directly through app stores, not to mention the tremendous operational savings to be made. As of writing, it is estimated that there are over 3 billion smartphones in the world, with this statistic bound to grow proportionately with the reach of the internet. The mobile gaming industry is worth $68.5 billion which amounts to almost half of the global gaming industry market size.

In-game Interactivity & E-sports

Gaming has moved beyond graphics. With deep level integration of artificial intelligence, game developers can analyse which component of the game appeals to users the most. To uptick this engagement quotient for users we can expect new attitudes towards game development that prioritize in-game interactivity to foster prolonged player involvement. Speaking of which Esports industry is one vertical of mobile gaming that is seeing a lot of traction.

It is estimated about 380 million people follow esports worldwide slash online. And this has been growing for some time now. In 2016, the League of Legends finals garnered approximately 43 million online viewers which far exceeded the NBA finals of that year. Such signs indicate a greater onset of esports events in the time to come.

Final Thoughts

These are exciting times for the game development industry. If it can grow in the midst of the pandemic then one can only imagine the growth it will spur once economies reset themselves to the pre-pandemic levels of growth.