The gaming landscape has changed significantly since we moved into this new decade. Now, there are almost 3 billion gamers worldwide, ranging from casual puzzlers who enjoy playing Candy Crush on the way to work, all the way through to pro eSports champions winning League of Legends tournaments with their teammates. With this increased interest has come an abundance of innovation in game design.
The gaming industry is now the place to be when it comes to inventive, creative design, whether that means graphics, game controls, strategy or storyline. The sky is truly the limit for many creators out there, and we’re starting to see the inclusion of futuristic tech like Artificial Intelligence or eXtended Reality in order to realise developers’ wildest dreams.
Here, we’ll take a look at some of the most exciting areas for game design innovation this year and what might be coming up in 2024.
AI
Everybody’s talking about it, but few people seem to understand the real impact that AI could have on the entertainment industry. Of course, games developers have been utilising artificial intelligence for years now, but recently it’s been used to create more engaging, realistic NPCs (non-player characters), generate eternally novel challenges within gameplay, and support cross-platform play (more on that later).
Red Dead Redemption 2, one of the most beloved gaming titles of all time, owes some of its success to the fact that it uses advanced AI to create believable background characters within gameplay. NPCs in this title behave almost like real human beings, adding to the sense of immersion created by this masterful and complex game. Of course, when a game comes from Rockstar’s stable, it’s expected to push boundaries, but RDR2 really set the bar for AI use with NPCs.
Online Gaming
It seems like gaming and the internet are now synonymous with one another, but this wasn’t always the case. In fact, it could be said that online gaming is still in a development stage and has only now started to fulfil its true potential. Some of the first pioneers in online gaming were casino platforms, digitising classic table games such as blackjack and introducing them to a whole new audience – online. They are still a popular choice, with millions of people playing via their desktop or mobile device every day.
An online platform can offer a broad spectrum of different variations, all in one place, as well as detailed guides on how to play, secure transaction options, and social outlets, like chat boxes or collaborative gameplay. This goes for all sorts of gaming genres, such as indie games available via itch.io or PC blockbusters in the Steam store, but online casino platforms have played an important part in innovating within the field.
Cross-platform Play
Cross-platform play refers to the ability to play the same title with the same opponents across different platforms. For example, if you want to join your friends for a game of indie favourite Among Us, then you can do so using your smartphone, Nintendo Switch or PC; you all have to access the same game slot, but you can do so from whichever internet-connected device you prefer. Collaborative and competitive play is now possible not just from a great distance via the internet, but also across different gaming technologies.
This is made possible through the use of many different tech innovations. AI plays a significant role in the security of such an endeavour, ensuring that player data and the gameplay itself remain protected. It also helps developers to create games more quickly as it can weed out glitches and performance issues quicker than human testers.
XR
eXtended Reality refers to virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality. You can see examples of it everywhere in modern gaming, from Pokémon GO to Half Life: Alyx and its being employed with varying levels of success. This area of game innovation has long been marred by clunky technology, causing users to feel seasick or unbalanced, or simply failing to deliver good enough graphics to achieve a sense of immersion.
However, XR developers are finally starting to catch up with their imaginations. The tech is being implemented across many different sectors, from try-before-you-buy experiences for consumers to Zoom filters to training exercises for high-risk professions like firefighters and surgeons. And its achieving significant success within gaming too. Star Wars: Squadrons and No Man’s Sky are just two of the XR gaming titles proving popular with gamers and critics alike.
