The future of gaming isn’t bright… it’s every shade of multidimensional dazzling.
This boom in gaming is supported by lightning-fast tech developments, including in and around the metaverse. In addition, exciting new monetization models are being launched and gaining momentum.
It’s these three primary trends that make the future of gaming so awesome, but how and why? Let’s take a closer look.
1. The Expansion of Metaverse
Metaverse is a virtual world in which we can interact in various ways with both the environment and others.
It has a global reach and combines a range of tech, including VR (virtual reality), AR (augmented reality), AI (artificial intelligence), IoT (the internet of things), and blockchain transaction records.
There are thought to be several trends that are and will continue to be seen:
New opportunities: Although the current metaverse games and apps are powerful and seductive, future versions will be mind-blowing in their realism and application. The environments or spaces will be richer, and the interactive capabilities will be wider and more thrilling.
Multi-functional virtual spaces: Currently, many of us associate metaverse with gaming, which, of course, includes an important social or interactive dimension. However, this 3-D cyberspace will become a place to work and earn an income, study, attend events for pleasure or business, trade, and network.
Realism: The future of the metaverse will be an interconnected series of realistic and vibrant virtual worlds that will redefine online interactions and ownership.
Increasingly rich virtual experience: Metaverse has already made it possible to interact with an environment and fellow gamers in a way that was not possible previously. With VR headsets, sensory features, 3-D images, and full display screens, the ‘realness’ and richness of the experience will continue to gather momentum and become increasingly immersive.
Increased autonomy: Gamers and visitors to these virtual worlds or spaces also have a never-before-seen degree of autonomy. The metaverse-based virtual worlds or ecosystems can now be centralized or decentralized.
While gaming is enriched and shaped by the metaverse, gaming is central to the development of the metaverse. This is supported by 97% of gaming executives, who also recognize that their models must embrace this situation.
2. New Mind-Blowing Gear for Gamers
The astonishing progress in technology is allowing a change in the nature of gaming, not just the quality of games.
Gaming Laptops
Laptops for gamers are evolving both externally and internally. The shape and style of laptops will continue to develop to meet demands. If you want a chunky, angular laptop with lights, it will become available. If you prefer sleek, slim, and lightweight, the future will offer them too.
Pixel resolution will continue to become increasingly impressive, as will internal design that increases speed and overall performance. Laptops will become increasingly affordable, too, and will house evermore powerful processors.
Monitors
Monitors or screens are likely to continue to increase in size. Curved monitors add to the immersive experience thanks to impressive pixel resolution, vibrant colors, improved viewing angles and aspect ratios, and quick refresh rates.
It may be that monitors will be replaced at some stage by future generations of headsets, high-tech gaming arcades, and the computers of the future.
Controller, Gaming Mouse, and Keyboard Options
Some gamers choose to use a controller when they play. The design of these devices has also become far more sophisticated and sleeker… and will continue to do so. Special controller kits will be designed for specific gamers.
Gaming performance relies on lightning-fast fingers and reactions. Your gaming mouse must respond to that. Mice that make use of dual-sensor systems, so they detect the smallest and quickest finger movements, will be freely available.
Keyboards will be streamlined and focus on user comfort, ease of use, and aesthetics. Keyboards will be personalized with 3-D printed keycaps, light strips, and a design of your choice.
But, in the future, all this gear may well become redundant.
Sound
Sound is an essential part of gaming so that you can hear the game’s soundtrack and/or talk to your friends/team members. State-of-the-art soundbars, AI sound-optimization tech, and noise- and echo-canceling headphones have appeared, but the versions that are yet to come will take sound quality and immediacy to a whole new level.
3. New Monetization Opportunities
For Game Developers and Publishers
Game publishers will no longer generate most of their revenue through game sales, subscriptions, in-game purchases, and advertising.
Game developers/creators may increasingly monetize their games by acting independently rather than working through a gaming company or other third party to maximize their profits.
At the same time, new ways of monetizing NFTs within gaming will also be found in the future.
For Gamers
Blockchain gaming monetization is still in its infancy. These games, unlike traditional ones, are decentralized, so game assets are distributed among players. With some gamers operating the NTFs as the currency, it will bring new monetization opportunities.
NTFs will likely increase in value over time and be able to be traded, sold, or given away in a global virtual and real space.
Professional gamers with additional income sources (salaries, sponsorships, streaming, and prizes) will grow and evolve as metaverse and gaming do.
What is the Future of Gaming?
As a gamer, you will be able to move seamlessly from gameplay to social or commercial spaces and from the virtual to the physical world. Part of this seamless movement will be that the user’s wallet, identity, assets, avatar, and registration can move easily from one area and application to another.
The gaming and virtual world will become far more customizable and personalized. For instance, users will be able to create their own stories and characters’ personalities.
At the same time, VR and AR gaming arcades will become more prevalent. These large spaces will provide a safe environment to move in while gaming.
Finally, gamers will no longer age out but will continue their involvement, especially because gaming will become the foundation for broader experiences.
What will Gaming Look Like in 2030?
Our predictions, in addition to those above, are that:
Metaverse will become even more sophisticated, all-encompassing, and immersive.
Seamless movement across games and spaces will be achieved.
VR and AR experiences, gear, and arcades will be widespread and have broad gaming, social, and commercial applications.
New gear will be developed that will allow users to engage all their senses for a fully immersive experience.
While security measures like getting a browser VPN extension (Surfshark VPN and such) will still be required to safeguard data and identity, the industry will improve data security to protect metaverse users.
Is Metaverse The Future of Gaming?
The quick answer is, “Yes, in all probability.” Every year gaming and the tech it and the metaverse rely on becomes more sophisticated and advanced.
There is also a strong overlap between the immersive virtual world of gaming and the physical or real world. For instance, if a gamer uses the same identity in the real world and all the virtual worlds they enter, they continue to exist in all of them even when they log off.
What will Computers be Like in 50 Years?
Our forecasts for computers are:
If Moore’s Law is correct and the computer’s processing power doubles every two years (and assuming engineers can keep up!), computers will have utterly staggering processing speeds.
Computers may not look like computers and might be, in a sense, invisible. We enter the realm of pervasive computing, where a computer can be built into anything: clothing, eyewear, body implants, highways, buildings, mirrors, etc.
With mega processing speeds, seamless movement in the Metaverse, and built-in computers, the world may become a massive computing system where the real and the virtual merge.
We will move from information transmission by photons rather than wires or cables. Data will be transmitted by light as it is in fiber optics, but this could occur inside a computer too, again making a physical computer unnecessary.
Monitors will also become defunct (or optional) as you will be able to display data and images on any surface. In addition, touch-screen capabilities will mean that the mouse and keyboard are also obsolete.
Overall, it’s safe to say that we are unlikely to recognize, or even find, the computer in 50 years’ time!
Final Thoughts
The current gaming industry trends impact gear, metaverse, and new monetization opportunities. The future for gamers and users is astounding.
We will experience seamless movement from gameplay to social or commercial spaces and from the virtual to the physical world. Thanks to the rapid evolution of metaverse, AR, and VR, our merging virtual and real world will become more customizable, and assets and identities will be portable.
Computers, monitors, and other gear will be unrecognizable and form a fully integrated part of our world and daily life.