Video games, card games, and casino games are a lot different in 2021 than in previous years. People have spent many years amusing themselves by playing games on their computers, consoles, and smartphones, and their experiences constantly improve.

Whether you want to play bingo on your smartphone or play the latest console game on your PlayStation or Xbox, you may be wondering how the gaming world is set to change in the coming months and years.

Below is a guide that explains the revolution taking place in both the gaming and tech worlds and how it may impact your gaming experience in the near future.

Better Connectivity and Cloud Gaming

The relationship between technology advancements and gaming could not be any clearer. Each time there is an innovation in the tech space, gaming benefits.

One area where such a relationship is playing out is cloud gaming. The advent of 5G in most developed countries around the world means that people have access to faster and more reliable internet connections than in the past.

Anyone with a smartphone and a data plan can now access rapid download and upload speeds, along with very low pings. That means they can not only play the latest video games on their phones or tablets, but they can even stream those games in real-time.

Cloud gaming is one of the ways that the gaming industry is experiencing a revolution. Rather than buying a physical or digital copy of a game and then playing it on a console, computer, or smartphone, people can buy games and then use them through game streaming services.

The advantage of cloud gaming is that you can play the latest AAA games without needing a high-end computer or the latest gaming console. Even a five or ten-year-old laptop can handle high-end games through a cloud gaming service.

Pushback Against Microtransactions

One of the most reliable ways that gaming companies have made money in the past few years is through microtransactions. Such a method of getting money from a game involves providing the game to the consumer for free or at a discounted price.

People get access to the latest games for modest prices but then have to spend more money within the game if they want to access certain features. Most games offer microtransactions that make cosmetic changes to the game, but certain developers do hide entire game modes behind a second paywall.

The problem for gaming companies is that a significant pushback is taking place against microtransactions. Some entities, such as EA Sports, make a large portion of their annual revenue through microtransactions on games such as FIFA and Madden.

Governments are hoping to better regulate such transactions, as they do not like the idea of children or young adults potentially spending hundreds of dollars within a game that they downloaded and installed for free.

Chip and Part Shortages

Both the tech and gaming sectors have gone through a lot of upheaval in 2020 and 2021 as a result of global chip shortages. Events over the past 12 to 18 months meant that various factories that manufacture these chips were not able to meet deadlines and agreed-on quantities of production.

Such an issue meant that the prices for the relevant computer and smartphone parts went up significantly. The shortage has also led to a significant decline in the stock of gaming consoles. People who want to buy the latest consoles, such as the Xbox Series X/S and the PlayStation 5, have to wait for a new batch of consoles to become available for shipping.

While the shortage is not impacting the stock of smartphones, gaming graphics cards are in short supply. People who use their computers to play the latest video games can expect to pay over the odds for the latest and greatest graphic cards, while certain makes and models may not be available at all.

Cryptocurrency in Gaming

Another way that the gaming industry is experiencing a change is through the increased use of cryptocurrencies. People who want to play casino games, card games, engage in sports betting, or pay for microtransactions in other games can use Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies to do so.

Many games are now offering users the chance to pay using crypto, which makes the entire process seamless and anonymous for gamers. Being able to load Bitcoin onto an account to play casino games is advantageous, as it bypasses the need to worry about gambling regulations in a particular country or state.

Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality

There is no denying the impact that virtual reality and augmented reality will have on gaming in the coming years. Even though VR gaming is already present for people who have devices such as the Oculus or Vive, VR is not mainstream at present.

Companies are working hard to improve VR hardware and make the experience more palatable for the average gamer. They are also investing a lot of money into content for such a medium, as the games that a person plays sitting in front of their television are different to those they would play in a virtual reality environment.

In many ways, the shift to virtual reality is the first significant change in the way games are consumed over the past few years. People who are seasoned gamers have the experience of playing games on their computers and consoles, while the newer generation understands everything to do with mobile gaming as well.

Virtual reality and augmented reality add a whole new dimension to gaming, as companies are set to introduce games that no one may have thought about in the past. 

Prepare for the Next Phase of Gaming

Very few industries move at the rapid pace that is normal within the gaming industry. If you were to view a computer or console game from ten years ago, you would find the graphics appalling compared to modern AAA games.

Between outstanding hardware improvements, software advances, virtual reality, and cloud services, the gaming sector has undergone significant changes in the past few years. 

If you are a gaming and technology enthusiast, you should prepare for a vastly different gaming experience in the coming years, compared to that which you enjoyed in the recent past.

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