Gaming is evolving, it is getting bigger and better every year. Let’s cycle through what we could encounter in the year 2015.
VR (Virtual Reality)
With Oculus, Sony and other independent startups trying their luck at taking your gaming experience to the next level, the day is not far away when you will be playing games with a VR headset. Just like us gamers, game developers are also excited, and currently working on the next level of gaming which could be done only via virtual reality headsets.
4K gaming monitors
If you have seen or played on a 4K gaming monitor, you won’t be able to return to a normal 1080p screen. The sheer pleasure of visials on a 4K screen is so mesmerizing that you forget how costly it is to buy one right now. But the coming year may bring some pocket-friendly alternatives.
Second screen component
The second screen component for video games has already started and is going to branch out even further in the coming year. Games like “Battlefield 4” have a dedicated app which shows you maps and stats, and can be counted as a good example of how video games are evolving to make you more involved.
Steam machines
Steam is betting big time on Steam machines and with almost all major gaming PC manufacturers on its side, things may work out. Since Steam machines are more or less DIY PCs with Steam OS, we may see some good Steam machines by known PC manufacturers next year.
Multiplatform gaming titles
With the similarities between consoles and PCs shrinking, many console only games are being released on the PC as well (Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes, for example). In the coming year we might see more games releasing simultaneously across all platforms.
'Big' games on mobile
Mobile hardware is advancing really fast and only in a few years it is able to render some games made for PCs and consoles quite convincingly. Games like The Walking dead and GTA 3 are really pushing the boundaries of what games you can play on a smartphone. This means by this time next year, many more PC games could be released for mobile platforms.
Always online social elements
Video games are also incorporating social media elements inside the games, so that you can share ganing moments or find players with similar game interests that could help you play online and multiplayer quests. Games like Titanfall involve such elements.
Intelligent controllers
With each iteration of gaming consoles, gaming controllers are also advancing. We already have built-in mics, gyroscopes and touch-pads and the next year we'll see more games that will make use of these features.
Gameplay streaming
The $970 million Twitch acquisition this year by Amazon was one of the biggest tech acquisitions of this year and it just makes you realize how big the gameplay streaming industry is. Game developers are also now including in-game features which will help you stream your game via your preferred streaming service. Maybe, we will watching the ViCi Gaming vs LGD on New Year’s eve.
Day Zero patches, Day 1 patches and huge game files.
Day 1 patches is a topic of hot of debate amongst gamers who feel these patches just show how ill prepared game developers are. Above all, every major game this year had a size of more than 10 GB which takes a lot of time and internet bandwidth. This is the future- low speeds and long downloads. Happy new year people.