The gaming sector as a whole has experienced an unprecedented boom over the past three years or so. Video games are set to hit revenues of $372 billion in 2023, with predictions of a three billion strong user base by 2027. That is one simply enormous industry. The runaway success story of recent times, however, has been mobile gaming. Gone are the days of Snake; instead, titles such as Genshin Impact and Call of Duty: Mobile offer players graphics and story scope that many wouldn’t have dreamed were achievable outside of a console or PC set-up.
These technological advancements have brought gaming to the mainstream and made it accessible to everybody with an internet connection and a mobile device.
As mobile gaming continues to develop at the speed of light, you might wonder, in such a fast-moving world, how is it possible to stay up to date with the latest and greatest gaming trends? Although it’s clear that some styles of gaming are here to stay for the long-term, some fads seem to be here today, gone tomorrow. Below you’ll find the most popular gaming trends of 2023 so far, along with predictions for what will rise to the top over the coming months.
iGaming
The iGaming sector refers to both online casino gaming and placing online wagers or bets. Since the overturn of a US law named PASPA in 2018, the industry has seen a marked influx of interest from the North American market, which has boosted activity in other countries too. As established providers have continued to grow in size and success, they’ve been able to offer users increased diversity in their services.
The most popular genre of online casino game is, without a doubt, slots. Online platforms now offer an extensive variety of different themes and titles, ranging from the ever-popular adventurer Rich Wilde & the Book of Dead to a celebration of Arnie’s greatest role in The Terminator Win & Spin. With their colorful graphics, detailed storytelling, and range of paylines and bonuses, online slots games continue to be a favorite for players, and they don’t look like leaving the forefront any time soon.
P2E & Blockchain Gaming
Another area which is seeing increased interest from players is blockchain or crypto gaming. Most of these titles are P2E (pay to earn) games whereby participants can earn either cryptocurrency or NFTs (non-fungible tokens) by completing activities within gameplay. These earnings can then be exchanged for fiat currency or a cryptocurrency which is spendable outside of the game and its platform. Popular titles which have emerged so far are Axie Infinity, CryptoKitties and Alien Worlds, with one of the main themes being the collection, development and sale of virtual livestock.
Although there have been some attempts by developers like Ubisoft and Electronic Arts to include elements of blockchain gaming in mainstream video game titles, this is yet to meet with any significant success. Watch this space, though, as there is evidence that an attempt will be made again with greater knowledge and more of a focus on the benefits to players.
AR and VR
At the end of 2021, there was a lot of fuss made about Facebook’s name change to Meta and the introduction of their vision for the ‘metaverse’. Fast forward a couple of years and Zuckerberg’s plans for a virtual world where people can play, socialize and shop are not yet fully functional and available to the masses.
However, the concepts of both virtual reality and augmented reality are becoming more popular in gaming and steps are being taken to make the tech more accessible. The PlayStation VR 2 headset was released earlier this year and Meta Quest 3 should arrive by the end of 2023. Though simplistic titles like Beat Saber remain popular, a big change is coming in the VR gaming world as more complex environments and gameplay become possible. Half Life: Alyx, Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners, and Assetto Corsa are all enjoying success already.
