The New Gaming Genres Changing the Industry Landscape

  • By Nicole Mirabal
    • Mar 09, 2023
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New gaming genres are provoking rapid change within the video gaming industry. The rise of the new gaming genres can be attributed to the rise in innovation in this competitive industry. Recently, the focus of innovation within this industry has been to make video gaming more immersive and realistic. With advancements and the development of new gaming technology, such as sensing controllers, haptics, and AI-driven game design, developers have been able to create cutting-edge innovations that make playing video games more enjoyable and engaging, providing gamers with a gaming experience that was never thought to be possible before.

Through innovation, the genres of virtual reality and augmented reality gaming emerged and soared in popularity, however no technology is without its challenges. In this article, we’ll explore the rise of the augmented and virtual reality gaming genres, their benefits, challenges, and what is next for this industry.

The Rise of Augmented Reality

Augmented Reality (AR) games provide an experience that is not possible with traditional gaming; AR games allow players to fully immerse themselves in the game through their mobile phone or console. The innovation of AR technology enables the game to come to life by allowing gamers to interact with the game elements in a real setting. 

Through the innovation of AR technology and advancements in tech, developers can now create 3D environments that can be explored by players in real time. In addition, developers have also been able to create innovative gameplay mechanics that take advantage of the unique capabilities offered by AR technology.

The main benefit of AR gaming is it allows players to feel as if the gaming world and the real world co-exist, instead of being 2 separate entities. Additionally, AR adds a sense of realism and provides players with the flexibility of playing in any environment, boosting player engagement. This new level of player engagement has resulted in a boom in AR games amongst players of all ages (Think of the game Pokémon Go).

gaming genre

The Rise of Virtual Reality

Virtual Reality (VR) games have been around for some time now, but it is only recently that they have gained widespread acceptance and popularity. VR games offer a point-of-view immersive experience that allows players to immerse themselves in a virtual world through VR technology. Currently, most VR games involve a VR headset that allows players to perceive the virtual world through their eyes. 

Alongside VR headsets, other gaming engineering and design innovations have allowed this gaming genre to boom. With increased accessibility and health benefits associated with the new and improved VR gaming such as improved physical health, cognitive skills, and social interaction, VR gaming became a must-have for gamers of all levels. As a result of the increasing popularity and associated benefits of these games, there is no doubt that they will continue to dominate the gaming industry in the future.

gaming genre

The Problem with Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality Gaming

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) gaming are two of the most intricate gaming genres to come out in recent years. They offer immersive gaming experiences that can transport players to new worlds and let them experience things they never could before. However, there are some drawbacks with AR and VR gaming that need to be addressed in order for these technologies to reach their full potential:

  1. Player Safety

Both AR and VR gaming fully immerse the player into the game, leaving players susceptible to real-world danger. As players engage with the game, they may lose awareness of their surroundings and/or can become distracted. This issue has already become evident with the AR game of Pokémon Go, where players wandered into traffic  and placed themselves in harm’s way. In the case of VR, many home-users have faced issues with broken household items and/or physical injury as a result of lack of real-world perception. 

  1. Player Comfort

In addition to concerns about real-world physical distraction, VR more often than AR, has been reported to cause discomfort and symptoms of motion sickness, nausea, and disorientation. Additionally, prolonged use of VR headsets has caused eye fatigue amongst other symptoms. 

  1. Hardware Limitations

Although VR and AR games have become more accessible over the years, one of the major limitations of this gaming sector is hardware. AR and VR games require technology that can come at a high price-tag. For AR games, most users require a smartphone with a high-quality camera and sensors. Meanwhile for VR games, players require not only an often-expensive VR headset, but also a powerful PC to operate the game and enough room to play without hazards – often limiting accessibility. 

  1. Design Interface

As you can predict, VR and AR games are highly complex in terms of design which can cause issues when creating the player interface. Player interfaces need to be easy to use and intuitive to motivate its use. However, due to the high design complexity, the unique requirements of the game, and the lack of guidelines regarding this topic, designing user-friendly interfaces has been an issue. 

  1. Limited Content

Due to the high cost and complexity associated with the development of these games, there are a limited amount of VR and AR games on the market. If development of new games and/or relevant uses does not continue, the technology could risk extinction.

As seen above, these new gaming technologies are not without their challenges. However, these challenges present an opportunity for research and development. In fact, research has already begun to address the issues regarding health, wellbeing and interface design.

If you are part of this industry and are looking to create innovative solutions, you may be eligible for funding via tax credits such as SR&ED or Multimedia tax credit, and government grants. Speak to a Leyton expert for free to learn more!

References:

Author

Nicole Mirabal
Nicole Mirabal

Brand Content Executive

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