Technology has always shone the brightest in the gaming industry. It is the ideal field for innovators to test out new things such as Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR). This means that these new technologies lead to changes in the gaming industry for years to come. However, it must be clear that AR and VR are two different things.
AR refers to digital augmentation of the real world, with the user having an enhanced experience of reality. An example would be Pokémon Go, where users look for augmented Pokémon in the real world. On the other hand, VR refers to a completely immersive experience, with the physical world shut out. Beat Saber on PlayStation VR is a good example of this. However, you need a good internet connection to get the best out of AR and VR, so exploring a few internet plans prices like Spectrum internet prices is a wise decision.
Ever since AR has been invented, its usage in the gaming industry has led to a lot of innovation. It has made games more interactive, accessible, and fun. It has even involved a whole new audience in what was once a pretty exclusive community. In addition, AR has even gamified numerous lifestyle experiences which people want to incorporate in their lives. In short, it is constantly changing the gaming industry in various ways, for the better.
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Makes Gaming More Appealing
AR makes gaming more accessible and fun for a wider audience. It is inclusive, as it does not require complete immersion and is quite fun to boot. Before, gaming was considered to be a hobby of a few ‘geeks’, and was a pretty exclusive experience.
Mobile gaming changed this mindset immensely, but AR really drove the point home. Remember Pokémon Go? It was a revolutionary game which an unprecedented number of people took interest in. Ericsson noted that 35% of non-gamers expressed interest in AR gaming, which is quite a significant figure. It opens up more opportunities for game developers to explore.
Revolutionizes Game Development
Gone are the days when just AAA developers such as Square Enix and EA Sports could make a mark in the gaming industry. Now, with new technologies, indie developers are becoming increasingly more popular. This is because of the plethora of development platforms, which are often extremely accessible. The Steam store on PCs and the Nintendo estore on the Nintendo Switch is full of games which were developed on accessible technologies such as Unity 5, the Unreal Engine, and Vuforia.
This has opened up the game development industry to a more diverse community, with women, POC, and LGBT+ communities seeing themselves represented well. Previously, gaming was dominated by white males, but with this unprecedented access to AR technology and development, this has changed immensely. In fact, the current Game Design Director for Google Stadia is Kim Swift, a woman. This means that the representation issue rampant in the game development industry is easing due to AR.
Improves Console Technology
Previously, it seemed like console technology had hit a wall. All that next-gen consoles could do was improve their graphics and slightly boost their processing speeds, and that’s it. AR has helped get over this wall, and console companies are encouraged to be more innovative with their new machines. They need to incorporate AR to attract a wider audience of all ages.
The Nintendo Switch has done so with games such as Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit, which creates racing tracks based on your home’s layout, with a physical go-kart also included. This creates a fun experience and makes consoles incorporate better camera and motion-detection technology. Currently, smartphones are the ones doing the most with AR technology, and consoles need to catch up.
Creates More Real-Time Interaction
Real-time interaction is one of the best aspects of AR technology. You can experience an elevated situation in your actual environment in real-time with AR games. Jurassic World Alive is the perfect example of this. You have to walk around your real environment to hunt for dinosaurs to collect DNA samples. Then, you combine those samples to create new monsters for real-time battles with other players. This is perfect for people who want to play videogames as a fun cooperative activity.
Gamifies Lifestyle Changes
Everyone knows exercising can be a real drag at times. However, games like Pokémon Go and AR Monster Hunt promote it by making players get up and find their monsters, and basically rewards achievements for the more they walk around. Game developers are also working on exercise games to gamify the experience and make it more fun.
In conclusion, AR is constantly changing the gaming industry, and once it progresses, there will be even more exciting things to see. Best of all, it is making the industry more accessible, both for players and developers.
