Gaming review by: Irudini Silva
LK 153
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Review of the Gaming Market
The golden age of video gaming arrived in the 1980s when popular arcade games were released and from then the home console industry really
took off. Gaming technology has come a long way since the early days and continues to develop at a relentless pace. The gaming industry is
worth around USD 250 billion worldwide and has never been more popular. The biggest titles comfortably generate more income than blockbuster
movies. However, the sale of consoles and video games has seen a steady decline in recent years. The gaming world is changing. Dedicated
game consoles are expensive and non-portable so it is not surprising that industry growth is coming from other sources. Gaming on tablets and
smartphones is growing rapidly, as are streaming services and games played through web browsers and social-networking sites.
Gaming is no longer a hobby exclusively enjoyed by the young. Generations of video gamers have grown up and these parents are now playing
video games with their own children. In addition to this the increased use of smartphones has changed the gaming demographic dramatically. It
is thought that 86% of internet users play games on an electronic device, and nearly every internet user has a smartphone able to run games.
The average gamer age has increased to 37 and just under 50% of the gaming audience is now made up of women. The growth in popularity of
tablets and smartphones means more people are playing mobile games than ever before.
GAMES
The top five gaming genres currently are:
1. Action Games
Today's games are increasingly reallistic and technologically
advanced. They feature richly textured, full-colour graphics,
amazing sound and complex interaction between player and
system. There are a huge variety of games available for all
demographics and audiences, including young children and
the elderly. From action adventure games to puzzle games
and simmulation games to strategy games, there is truly
something for everyone. The majority of games are designed
to entertain people but they can also educate, inform,
persuade and stimulate the user. The best-selling games are
highly-polished cinematic thrill-rides that take you on an
emotional rollercoaster. Outstanding graphics, incredible
storytelling and superb voice acting make the experience
similar to watching a movie, the difference being that the
gamer controls the action.
2. Sports Games
3. Adventure Games
4. Battle Royale Games
5. Role-Playing Games
Some video games have been criticised for glorifying
violence, cruelty and crime. There are concerns that children
who play violent video games may have a tendency to behave
more aggressively. This has led to an age rating system being
adopted by the industry.
VIDEO GAME CONSOLES
Video game consoles are a popular and cost-effective form of
home entertainment. They require a single purchase with no
additional hardware upgrades. Consoles connect to a TV
screen which displays the graphics and plays the sounds of
the game.
Games are categorised into commonly used game genres
which are mainly based on their gameplay, interaction and
category. Since 2018 simulation, puzzle and strategy games
have seen the biggest growth of any genre.
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Gaming review by: Irudini Silva
LK 153
A game controller is used to provide input and allows the
player to interact with the video game, typically to control an
object or character. Console games often get priority release
months ahead of the PC version, or the release is for console
use only.
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to the streamed content.
As a result gamers can purchase cheaper consoles without a
disc drive and use digital cloud gaming services to access
content.
In previous decades consoles were kept in the bedrooms of
teenagers. Times have changed and consoles are now living
room fixtures and are used as much for watching TV as
playing games. New gaming consoles have the ability to
access numerous streaming services and are not just used
as gaming devices but are cutting edge media devices for the
whole family. Manufacturers are keen to promote their
consoles as complete home entertainment systems which
stream films, play live TV, place video calls and browse the
internet. These additional multimedia features greatly
enhance the functionality and everyday use of the game
console.
There
are
many
advantages
to
cloud
Cloud gaming
gaming. For gamers the
cost of buying and
maintaining a powerful
gaming computer or game console is removed. Users pay a
small monthly fee to stream content. Keeping the technology
up-to-date and future-proof is included in the subscription.
Saved data is stored in the cloud so, providing there is a good
internet connection, users can access their games and stored
data from any location. These games can then be played on
any device. A disadvantage is backwards compatibility of
older games which cannot be played unless they are rereleased digitally. Making past titles and historic archives
available on cloud gaming services may become an attractive
selling point for service providers in the future. For publishers
and developers cloud gaming eliminates the potential for
pirating and the need for digital rights management (DRM)
since users do not actually download the game. It also helps
lower development costs as all players have access to the
same hardware and performance.
CLOUD GAMING
Cloud gaming is a method of playing video games by
accessing remote servers. Games are no longer downloaded
and installed on a PC or game console. The streaming
services send gaming information to an app or browser
installed on the recipient’s device. The game is stored and
played on the remote server but the user interacts with the
content locally on their own device. Streaming services
operate on a subscription basis where users pay for access
We live in a world where social networking and interactive gameplay are now mainstream activities. Video gaming takes place between gamers
all across the world and more people are playing quality games through a web browser or a cloud-based gaming service. It is only in recent years
that hardware has become good enough to deliver high-fidelity content. This, along with the evolution of faster, cheaper and more accessible
broadband connectivity, has made gaming accessible and attractive to more people. As internet speeds and connectivity continue to get better
and cheaper, so too will cloud gaming. With the rapid growth of cloud computing services some believe that the current generation of home video
game consoles may be the last of these devices. Time will tell whether these traditional game consoles can survive.
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