The Most Prevalent Gaming Technology of the Decade

The tech world is constantly in flux, with new trends disrupting industries and sectors and sometimes for just a brief time. However, in each generation, there are tech trends that stick around for the long term and which shape and dominate the direction that developments move in.

Now that we’re well into 2023 and the current decade, let’s look at the most prevalent gaming tech trends – both incumbent and emerging – that will have the staying power to last up to 2030.

Virtual Reality

Virtual reality (VR) has been on the periphery of mainstream acceptance for several years now, but it’s expected to take off in a big way in 2023. With the release of more affordable and accessible VR headsets, such as the Oculus Quest 3 and the PlayStation VR2, more consumers across the globe will be able to experience immersive gaming as it’s truly meant to be.

Furthermore, an increasing number of game developers are pouring significant investments into VR research and development. Capcom, for instance, has readied a VR mod for the top-selling game Resident Evil 4, while a number of other big titles are in the works for release in 2023.

GameFi

The emergence of blockchain technology has paved the way for the GameFi industry, a combination of gaming and decentralized finance. GameFi is an emerging gaming sector that combines crypto and blockchain tech with more conventional gaming experiences. One of the most appealing aspects of this sector is how it’s disrupting existing monetization models by rewarding gamers for their time spent playing.

Until quite recently, real money gaming was mostly found in the iGaming sector, with digital gaming platforms allowing users to play online slots and other top casino games for cash prizes. GameFi, in contrast, effectively allows gamers to earn digital assets, including NFTs and crypto, as they play – either by completing certain tasks or playing for a specific amount of time. This trend enables gamers to monetize their gaming skills while driving the mainstream adoption of cryptocurrency.

Although it’s still early days for GameFi, this sector is already gaining traction. Top-performing crypto games like Axie Infinity have already generated over $2 billion in revenue, while the latest projects continue to bring in substantial investments. Additionally, GameFi will only increase in relevance as time goes on, particularly as the concept of the metaverse becomes more mainstream.

Cloud Gaming

Cloud gaming is another trend that is set to grow in 2023, particularly as cross-play and cross-platform gaming becomes more and more relevant to the global gaming community. With cloud gaming, players can access games from any connected device, including smartphones, tablets, and games consoles, without needing to download or install them.

Major players in the gaming industry, such as Google, Microsoft, and Amazon, have already invested heavily in cloud gaming. Although Google Stadia was relatively shortlived, Microsoft’s cloud gaming service for Xbox is going from strength to strength, while NVIDIA’S Geforce Now presents a versatile service that allows gamers to access their content on compatible devices.

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence is one of the biggest trends in the technology industry as a whole, and its impact on gaming sectors is only set to increase throughout 2023 and beyond.

One of the key ways in which AI is being used to boost the gaming industry is in gaming content creation. While developers have been using less sophisticated forms of AI to create minor gaming assets, more recently, they’ve begun experimenting with generative AI programmes like ChatGPT and Midjourney across major stages of the game development process.

Mobile Gaming

Mobile gaming has been a major trend in the gaming industry for several years, outperforming both console and PC gaming since 2018. The rise of new sectors like GameFi could indicate that mobile gaming has reached its peak, but the reality is far from the case, especially with the advent of 5G.

Mobile gaming has gone from strength to strength here in the digital era. Now, mobile gaming apps are set to become much more sophisticated, particularly as a number of Big Tech brands have begun expanding into the space. A series of AAA mobile games and mobile eSports are due to hit small screens in 2023, hailing from the likes of Microsoft, Ubisoft and even Netflix.