Gaming and tech fans are always eagerly looking for the coolest new forms of entertainment. And it just so happens that by keeping an eye on tech developments relating to software and device capabilities, we can usually predict some of the changes that are on the horizon for the video game community. In a more general sense, it’s always nice to see video game graphics getting better, game worlds growing larger, or multiplayer becoming more interactive. Here we’ll look at a few specific tech developments that could change the gaming industry in the coming years.
VR Headsets
It goes without saying that virtual reality is changing gaming. But looking through the best VR headsets currently available, it still seems clear that there are some issues in the market. Prices are high, and different headsets excel in different ways. These two factors combine to make choices very difficult for consumers, and it stands to reason that VR headset developers will need to make some adjustments with the aim of more universal appeal. As this market evolves, and more devices become more appealing to more people, we’ll really start to see VR gaming take off.
Live Feed Gaming
Live online multiplayer has been around for years now, but there is a growing trend in online gaming that could add a new dimension to it (almost in a literal sense). Specifically, online casino sites have spent the last couple of years introducing live dealer gaming as a means to bring about more realistic and interactive versions of existing games. The live dealer format means that players can actually see human dealers through a video feed while they play. It may sound specific to online poker at the moment, but it’s already been adjusted to work with mobile platforms, and VR would seem to be the next logical frontier. Don’t be surprised if we start to think of not only casino games but lots of multiplayer experiences as including the option of a video feed—particularly through AR and VR headsets.
Augmented Reality
AR isn’t new, and at this point it’s more or less tied to the developing VR industry. But we’re mentioning AR as a tech trend that could change gaming specifically because of company interests. More specifically, Apple is strongly rumored to prefer AR to VR, which will matter in a big way when the iPhone 8 and other new devices are unveiled later this year. Apple has a way of influencing the tech industry like no other company can when it comes to its products, and any kind of AR tool will likely make a big splash. It seems as if Tim Cook’s company has the ability to decide whether or not AR will leapfrog VR in popularity.
Eye Tracking Tools
This is a wild concept that was detailed in an article identifying Tobii Gaming as a pioneer with the technology. The idea is exactly what it sounds like. Small devices can now track users’ lines of sight, and when used in gaming this has the potential to drastically alter control systems. The path of your own eye can function in much the same way a control stick now does, deciding where on the screen you’re facing or aiming. It could almost bring a VR component to more conventional console gaming.
Exoskeletons
The same article that made note of new eye tracking technology also pointed to the idea of gaming exoskeletons. These are exactly what they sound like, but the implications are incredibly exciting with this particular bit of gaming tech. If you think about how controllers have been designed to give you certain physical sensations connected to your games, you can imagine that whole concept spread to the entire body. A gaming exoskeleton would cover your body and provide physical feedback, allowing you to feel the appropriate pressures and impacts to truly embody whatever character you’re controlling. That’s about as real as it gets, and it could be just around the corner.
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