Are you a video game enthusiast? If you are, then this article is for you. Over the years, gaming has evolved significantly. From its primitive beginnings in Pong to today’s advanced virtual reality console games, gaming has come a long way. In this article, we take a look at some of the most influential games and trends that have shaped the gaming industry as we know it today.
From Hacks for PC Games to Streaming Platforms
The first hack for PC games was released in 1987 by John Carmack and John Romero, who created Doom – one of the first 3D shooters to be released on computers. This game revolutionized the way gamers interacted with their PCs and paved the way for today’s online multiplayer titles. After Doom’s success, many other developers began creating hacks for their own games, starting the trend of players being able to modify existing titles or create new ones from scratch using third-party programs.
The rise of online multiplayer games
Online multiplayer games have been around since 1998 when Ultima Online was released. However, it was not until World of Warcraft (WoW) became popular in 2004 that massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) really took off in the gaming community. These MMORPGs allowed players from all over the world to come together in an immersive virtual environment where they could fight monsters, complete quests, interact with NPCs (non-playable characters), and even engage in PvP combat against other players. WoW also helped popularise microtransactions – the ability for players to use real money to purchase digital items such as weapons or armor – which are now ubiquitous across multiple platforms.
Massive open worlds take center stage
With hardware becoming more powerful every year and development tools becoming more accessible than ever, game developers began to push the boundaries by introducing massive open worlds into their titles. Grand Theft Auto III was perhaps one of the first major releases to feature an expansive open world set in a fictional city called Liberty City, allowing players to explore streets filled with cars to hijack or civilians going about their daily lives – something that had never been seen on consoles before its release in 2001. Since then, there have been numerous AAA titles with huge open worlds, such as Red Dead Redemption 2 or Fallout 4, that allow players to spend hours exploring within them, as well as additional side content outside of completing story missions or objectives offered by NPCs within these vast worlds.
Mobile gaming emerges as a major player
As technology has advanced over time, so have mobile phones – resulting in mobile gaming emerging as a serious competitor to traditional console systems. With the release of Apple’s App Store in 2008, mobile phones quickly became the home not only for casual puzzle games but also for full-blown RPGs, action adventures, racing simulators, and more. More recently, services such as Google Play Pass have been introduced, giving users access to hundreds of premium apps without ads or upfront subscription fees – further fueling the growth of the mobile gaming market.
The emergence of eSports and streamers
eSports burst onto the scene in the early 2000s, although major leagues didn’t appear until much later, with League of Legends getting its official competitive league in 2015. But what really brought eSports into the mainstream was the introduction of streaming platforms such as Twitch and YouTube Gaming, which allowed viewers to watch professional gamers stream themselves playing various video games live while commenting on their strategies and so on. This, combined with viewership figures ranging from several thousand to tens of millions of viewers per streaming session, has made eSports one of the fastest-growing industries out there.
Augmented reality takes center stage
Augmented Reality (AR) technology is a relatively new concept but has already managed to find its place among hardcore gamers, thanks to developments such as Pokemon Go Niantic Inc, where users can capture creatures roaming local parks/streets via smartphone camera while staying safe indoors due to Covid 19 lockdowns enforced worldwide from 2020 onwards. Although AR has yet to gain much traction, it could soon become another essential component of modern gaming once the right hardware peripherals become available to the general public at affordable prices.
Virtual reality will also become popular
While AR takes center stage due to the convenience factor offered to iPhone users, VR gadgets seem to be making steady progress toward becoming equally popular, with recent reports suggesting that companies such as Valve and Oculus are working to increase the capabilities of currently available headsets in order to provide a smoother user experience overall. What’s more, virtual reality arcades are slowly gaining traction in various countries around the world, giving customers a better chance to enjoy high-end VR experiences without having to invest in expensive equipment to buy beforehand – making VR a viable option for all types of budgets alike.
Conclusion
Looking back at the entire journey through history so far makes it clear how drastically things have changed in the last decade alone, despite the current pandemic adding hiccups along the way too; however, nothing is certain regarding the future anymore given the number of possibilities now presenting us here from 2021 onwards when it comes to talking about advancements technologies driving growth videogame industry right now… Nevertheless, one thing is for sure – whatever happens, next will shape our future generations come eventually amounting to a tangible impact felt by everyone at the end day regardless of whether they’re gamers or not!
