How Gaming Became A Global Phenomenon
You don’t need to be a gaming fanatic to see just how big gaming has become in recent years. It wasn’t too long ago that advertisements for gaming titles were rarely seen on television, yet today, they’re everywhere. The industry has slowly been taking over the world, and whatever they’ve been doing, it’s been successful — the gaming industry is now worth more than the music and movie industries combined. Many things have come together to create this reality. In this blog, we’ll take a look at how things like the rise of smartphones, introductory betting offers and free-to-play business models, and the rise of streaming all came together to create a worldwide phenomenon.
Serious Investment
You don’t take over the world without some serious cash. And serious cash is just what the gaming industry has in spades. The industry is currently worth around $200 billion, which is another way of saying: no loose change. But the critical part of the equation isn’t how much the industry has but what it does with it. It’s been pumping money into improving every element of the gaming experience, helping to make it highly appealing to consumers.
Everyone Has a Gaming Device
Gaming has always had a following. But in the past, only serious gamers existed — after all, you needed to have a console or personal computer if you were going to play. Today, that’s no longer the case. The smartphone has done wonders for many different aspects of life, and especially the gaming industry. That’s because, in effect, everyone that has a smartphone now has a gaming device right in their pocket. There’s a reason why mobile gaming titles have become so advanced in recent years: it’s because it’s the largest gaming audience in the world, so that’s who the industry wants to target.
All Price Points
Older gaming consoles were an investment. You had to be serious about gaming, especially since the games themselves were unaffordable for many people. Today, those expensive games still exist. But crucially, there are also plenty of more affordable options too. And perhaps most important, these affordable options are good games. You might not want to invest in the game of the year. But you may want to download a free game or use an introductory deal to play a slots or casino game. This shift has made gaming accessible to all since it allows people to play games without breaking the bank — or, in many cases, even opening their wallets.
The Social Factor
It’s hard to deny that the gaming experience of yesteryear was seen as something of a lonesome experience. Though some people were interested, the majority wanted to spend time with their friends, not be stuck inside playing a game. The gaming industry’s greatest move was to create platforms that allowed friends and family to play together in real time, wherever they were. In this climate, gaming became not just another way to pass the time but also a way to spend quality time with loved ones. Staying in on a Friday evening to play games was previously an unwelcome experience; today, it’s a chance to maintain important connections.
Streaming
Finally, let’s think about streaming, which has had a profoundly positive impact on the gaming industry and the gaming community as a whole. No one could have predicted just how much this activity would blow up in popularity, but that’s what’s happened. The streaming industry — and eSports gaming in general — attracts hundreds of millions of viewers. That helps to create a climate where gaming isn’t just something that you do in isolation. It becomes a deeper part of the culture, and once something arrives there, it’s a matter of time before huge success comes its way.
The gaming industry is a giant, and it shows no signs of going away anytime soon. Indeed, quite the opposite. Where it’ll go in the future, no one can yet say.