Online gaming is having a bit of a renaissance. Services such as Steam and the rise of indie developers have given gamers access to a wider, more interesting range of games than ever before. Tech companies and PC companies have responded by making computers with greater capabilities so that the gaming experience is even better.
While ‘gamers’ is often used as an umbrella term for everyone who enjoys playing video games, there are some strong divisions among gamers. It is fairly common for gamers to be dedicated to a certain console system or PC gaming. They tend to be harshly critical of other types of gamers. As online gaming has grown and improved, however, more console gamers have been tempted towards playing on computers rather than consoles.
The console gaming industry has made note of this swing and has had to respond. This article will look at the major ways that online games have affected the console gaming industry.
Online gambling
Online gaming isn’t just traditional video games. Online casinos have contributed to the rise of online gaming. Not needing a console to play them is an added perk. The gambling industry is huge worldwide and online casinos have become a major part of that industry over the course of the last decade. Online slot machine games, which are very similar to mobile games in terms of their engaging, high-quality graphics and easy gameplay, are particularly popular among players.
Some countries have such strict gambling laws that there are no legal land-based options. This is the case in Indonesia, where all casinos and even the state lottery have been shut down. Luckily for players from Indonesia and countries with similar laws, online casinos provide the perfect way to play without the expense and hassle of traveling to do so. Online casinos also offer bonuses that make playing there even more appealing.
PC boom
One of the biggest impacts of the rise of online games on the console industry is that they have lost some ground to the PC gaming industry. During the peak popularity of console gaming, PC games felt like a poor substitute. Thanks to the rise of online games, this has completely changed, and PCs are now seen as an equal option for top gamers.
People who have never thought about what goes into making a great gaming PC are now experts on building them. There are heated debates about the best GPUs for gaming, what type of hard drive is needed and how much memory it should have, as well as the best type of CPUs, and more.
Aside from the physical components of a PC, the rise of online gaming has also helped boost companies that make all kinds of PC gaming peripherals. PC cases full of LED lights, gaming mice that have programmable buttons, and even high-end curved monitors have all become hot items among online gamers.
Game libraries
In order to compete with the huge libraries of games available online, console game companies have had to change their model. Instead of only selling their games on discs, they have branched out into more modern formats. The top console companies have begun to offer their customers the option to subscribe to their streaming services for access to massive game libraries.
PlayStation has PlayStation Now as their subscription streaming service. The exciting feature of PlayStation Now is that it has games from every console generation, making it the perfect service for nostalgic gamers. Xbox users can subscribe to the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which provides access to over 100 games. The added perk with this service is that the games can also be used on PCs and Android devices.
Embrace VR
Virtual Reality is one of the hottest trends across all types of gaming and it is only going to keep improving. There are plenty of online games that are virtual reality games, but this is an area where consoles excel. Console companies have realized that they have the resources and strong tech foundation to invest heavily in creating the best virtual reality headsets, systems and games.
Realizing this has prompted these companies to focus more on virtual reality since this will continue to be a major revenue stream, especially as players will always want to have access to the coolest new virtual reality experiences. This is something that will definitely keep players tied to their consoles. PSVR, PlayStation’s virtually reality headset is one of the best on the market and it is very hard for independent online game developers to compete with.
