The Gaming Trends of 2016

We are well into 2016, so it is safe to say that there have been several gaming trends that are now well defined. Of course, this is not including the shake-up caused by the release of Pokémon Go, which has taken the gaming world by storm. 2016 has been considered unique for a variety of reasons. The gaming trends that have occurred are not only to do with evolving technology, but also changing social awareness. Let’s take a look at some of these movements in 2016:

Video Game Diversity

There has been considerable social reform regarding women and people of different ethnicities. This change has been so prevalent that it can even be found in video games. For instance, there are a lot more female roles available. Dishonored 2 and Horizon: Zero Dawn have women playing pivotal roles. Games such as Mass Effect: Andromeda and Agents of Mayhem are offering players the choice of taking on female characters. There are many other games that offer a variety of player options. This is allowing gamers to obtain profiles that are a lot closer to their real world personalities. Many consider this a step in the right direction.

E-Sports

There is a reason that young players will be heading outside even less now. This is due to the emergence and popularity of e-sports. While people have been engaged in this trend for a while now, there was a surge in participation due to online platforms such as Twitch. E-sports are also becoming more interactive and challenging than ever before. They allow players to challenge one another in real time. These games also require more strategy, coordination, and overall dedication.

Mobile Games

As the Pokémon Go success showed the world, people are immediately hooked to mobile games. People are becoming increasingly dependent on their mobile phones, and as such, mobile games as well. One of the main lures of this type of gaming is that it is free. This means that if you are playing off your tablet or phone, you can play endlessly without paying. Of course, if you want premium services, you are going to have to pay, not that people seem to mind. If you want to know just how successful this sector is, take a look at the numbers: the mobile gaming industry is supposed to rake in about 36.9 billion dollars. This forecast is for the year of 2016 alone!

Other Trends

There has also been a lot of bustle about virtual reality and augmented reality. While many companies are hinting at this technology, gamers may have to contend with waiting for a while. It is possible, however, that this technology will be unveiled as early as 2017.

Another trend that has not wavered, but is slowly picking up steam, is online betting. People are visiting more and more online casinos to play poker or the best online slots. This is becoming more widespread as many of these casinos offer a real-world experience. Even better, you can try out most of these games for free before betting money on them. Instead of heading to Vegas, you can try your luck behind a computer screen.

The year is still young, and more trends are sure to emerge as time goes by. Hopefully, these will be as exciting as the ones on this list.