Since the mid-2010s, online gaming has changed a lot. In fact, it’s unrecognizable compared to how it was just a few years ago.
Now, battle royale games have taken over, in-game purchases are running the industry, and battle passes have become the norm.
If you want a breakdown of the major changes that have taken place, this guide has got your back. Let’s look at what online gaming looks like today.
Smartphone Gaming is Insanely Popular – But why?
In the past, smartphone gaming (also known as mobile gaming) was seen as nothing more than a niche hobby. Essentially, it was something to do when you wanted to pass the time on a long train journey or when you were stuck indoors – that type of thing.
However, smartphone gaming has now turned into a globally competitive machine. Sure, it’s still about having fun, but people are now taking mobile games very seriously. For example, you can now play hundreds of multiplayer games, some of which involve prizes and real money. A great example of this is real money poker for US players. Now, people are playing poker (and other casino games) using their smartphones. It’s super convenient, as it means you don’t have to visit land-based casinos and pay ridiculous entry fees!
Two Words: Battle Royale
Next on this list is Battle Royale games.
Since Fortnite exploded in popularity back in 2017, Battle Royale games have become the norm. Now, you can’t visit the PlayStation or XBOX store without being confronted by all the different Battle Royale games, from Call of Duty: Warzone to the notorious Fortnite.
Battle Royale games have become so popular, in fact, that it’s led to developer companies being pressured into including Battle Royale modes in their games.
For example, the popular Battlefield franchise is under pressure to include a Battle Royale game mode in their next installment. Failure to do this will no doubt lead to poor sales numbers and angry fans – so keep an eye out for what happens!
eSports Craze
As this article stated above, online gaming is now super competitive. Naturally, this has led to a rise of eSports, which are competitive gaming tournaments.
Now, if you go on Twitch or YouTube, eSports tournaments are constantly being streamed and talked about.
Moving into the future, you can expect to see lots of gamers upping their competition levels to try and enter different eSports tournaments. Plus, Twitch will continue to grow its user base due to being one of the best hosts when it comes to eSports.
Battle Passes
Not too long ago, you could purchase a complete game in its entirety. Now, though, this is very rare.
Instead, complete games have been replaced by battle passes. Want all the features? You have to subscribe to the battle pass.
Over the next decade, this trend will continue to grow, meaning you can expect franchises such as Call of Duty to continue asking fans to invest in their battle passes if they want the complete gaming experience.
