The initial observation has always been that the internet has changed the way we game and that gaming is now predominantly internet-based and dependent. The gaming industry will bring in $152 billion this year, making it one of the biggest earners online. The online space is dominated by gaming and this is changing the online space forever. The reality and the argument presented herein is that gaming has actually changed the internet. Here is how:
Games have made the internet more social
One reason is that there are more interactive gaming and games rooms where people can actually see and talk to each other while playing a game together or against each other. It is arguably from gaming that we have learned how there is a social connection on the other side of the screen. For gamers, it has been clear for a long time that the internet is a social place, and as they spend a great deal of time in front of their screens they have made the internet a more socially interactive space than ever before. The gaming industry has also managed to democratise the internet as anyone from anywhere can go to a top casino and play their favourite games, you don’t have to be dressed a particular way or drive to Vegas. Click here to find out more.
Free games have increased online numbers dramatically
As a game player a decade ago you would have needed to ensure you had the budget to play. The release of free games has meant that there are more people than ever before who play online games. Gone are the days when your laptop or PC came with a few free games such as Tetris or Snake. The games now available range from free slot games to racing games that can be played online at no cost. This has dramatically increased the number of people who are online at any one time. The free-to-play model has grown in recent years, starting off with games like Farmville and free Tetris, there is now a myriad of games that can be played for free and entire communities have sprung up around this. This changed the way the internet worked and how money was generated as the free games offered in-game purchases and only if you really liked the game you would pay, or you can choose to play it for free for as long as you want.
Gaming has hastened augmented and virtual reality
The gaming industry is arguably largely responsible for the development of augmented and virtual reality. The development for gaming of this technology is now spreading into the mainstream and will be used to drive modern business. It was the games industry that spent vast amounts to develop augmented and virtual reality to improve games and the overall gaming experience. This technology is now spreading across the internet and is in high demand in fields such as marketing, retail and e-commerce.
The internet is evolving constantly and some of this development is directly related to the development of online gaming. It has come full circle in that it was initially the internet that allowed for the development of online gaming and now it is online gaming that is changing and growing the internet.