Game News NFT, Cross-media, Unreal Engine 5: the future of video games is taking shape
Do you think video games were better back then? When we look in the rear view mirror, nostalgia easily takes us. In fact, the future of gaming has many surprises in store for us! We analyze it together with 5 things to find out.
Summary
- The end of the graphic design races
- When the video game disappears from its frame
- Web3, NFT, Blockchain and Metaverse attack gaming
- AI is diversifying the industry
- Short circuits are becoming more democratic
The end of the graphic design races
It’s the end of an era. The new releases are getting smaller and smaller with their revolutionary graphics and it’s obvious! The games of the current generation is trying a way to change the breed, through the artistic direction and the game for example. Having concluded that “the more beautiful, the less played”, we now aim to master new tools. The arrival of more powerful machines also requires time for developers to adapt. For example, the situation with Unreal Engine 5 shows this fact.
When the video game disappears from its frame
Video games are the largest entertainment industry in the world. In recent years, we have seen a return to the concept of cross-functional projects. These initiatives, which we call cross-media, are halfway between films, series, and games. Sometimes it all becomes a total project. We especially saw this in the interactive film Black Mirror Bandersnatch available on Netflix. Not long ago, the MMORPG Defiance also tried it. The film Final Fantasy: Spirit Creatures also had this will, but it had to face the harsh reality of a commercial failure. After suffering some plasters, the video game may return in this direction. With this dynamic, we can say the Overdose project by Hideo Kojima. According to the leaks, it will offer a hybrid gameplay where we play a console game by interacting with our smartphone.
When we talk about the innovations that infiltrate everywhere in digital-related industries, it is difficult not to think of blockchains, NFTs, cryptocurrencies, Metaverse and companies. In these topics, the general public continues to show mistrust and doubt. The looming failure of Metaverse or the difficulty of accessing crypto-currencies is the perfect example. Between crashes, scams, the concept of certified JPEGs, what we call Web3 is always the target of ridicule. But in this sector, many actors are not there to laugh. One of the pioneers of the genre was the French. This is the Sorare company, which offers a kind of Panini 3.0 album, where there is a purchase and sale of NFTs, which here are virtual cards of football players. All for a valuation that will rise to 4.3 billion euros in 4 years of existence. A market is forming on the horizon.
AI is diversifying the industry
Artificial Intelligence (AI) in video games is far from new. We’re used to seeing the entities they control swarming our favorite virtual environment. However, can you also imagine them hiding behind your favorite games? Whether to adapt the game to your personality and level, or earlier in the writing process, their roles will be wider! In a few years, we will see a quality of writing, conception, design, level of construction or game at the level of what a group of people can do. The only difference is that a reflection and a qualitative improvement of the person has been done for many months, the AI realizes it in a few moments only.
Short circuits are becoming more democratic
In gaming, we usually have a developer, who is funded by the publisher. To complete the chain, you also need a distributor. It usually involves a large amount and a small group of people. So, in terms of money and ecology, makers tend to favor short circuits more. We see a new wave of independent games with the wind of budget projects. However, the scullery of these projects is far from large international companies. In fact, they rely on self-help, community support, and are created in small groups.