2021 Gaming Trends: VR, Esports, Mobile Gaming and More!

The gaming industry has changed drastically in the past few years. Mobile games are becoming more popular than ever, Esports is seeing a huge boost in popularity, and virtual reality is growing exponentially. What does this mean for the future of gaming? Read on to find out!

The Competitive Esports Scene

It is an industry on the rise. With more players, viewers than ever before, it’s no surprise that this niche market has taken off in recent years. More games are being developed with competitive play in mind. Even older titles like PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) have seen huge boosts of interest due to their esports scene!

There are a few trends that are worth mentioning.

The first trend is the increasing popularity of Esports among women. A few years ago, the industry was dominated by men. But that’s no longer the case. Women make up a significant portion of the Esports audience today. This is due in part to the growing number of female-focused Esports tournaments.

Another trend worth mentioning is the increasing number of professional gamers. As Esports grows in popularity, more and more people are choosing to pursue careers in gaming. This is great news for fans of Esports as it means we can expect even more high-quality gameplay in the years to come.

Finally, we can’t talk about Esports in 2021 without mentioning virtual reality. VR has the potential to take Esports to a whole new level. With VR, gamers can actually feel like they’re in the game. This makes for an unforgettable experience for people who want to get the most out of their gaming.

Esports is an exciting industry that’s full of promise. As it continues to grow, there will be many big changes in store. It’ll be interesting to see how Esports evolves as we move forward into 2022 and beyond.

Lose Yourself in a Virtual Reality World

Gaming companies used to be skeptical about virtual reality, but now they realize its profit potential; 2018 saw a huge increase in VR game development as well as sales of dedicated headsets like Oculus Rift or HTC Vive. 

The future of virtual reality gaming is bright, especially with all of the new developments in technology happening every day. Companies are finding ways to make their products more cost-effective and appealing to consumers looking to purchase them without breaking the bank. 

With VR headsets like Oculus Rift and HTC Vive steadily dropping in price, more people will likely buy them in 2021. The graphics and overall gaming experience on VR headsets are only going to improve from here, so gamers can look forward to even more immersive and realistic gameplay in the years to come

It looks like 2022 will only see even more growth within this space! Some experts predict that by 2025, VR will reach $6.9 billion in revenue, making it a multi-billion dollar industry.

Mobile Gaming: Now the Norm

Mobile gaming has grown exponentially in the past few years! In 2012, only six percent of gamers played mobile games regularly. That number increased to 45% by 2015. 

By 2020, almost half of all gaming revenue came from mobile titles; that’s more than $70 billion worldwide! 

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

Big companies like Nintendo and Fortnite developer Epic Games are taking note too: both recently released or plan on releasing their own dedicated game apps for iOS and Android devices soon. 

This trend shows no signs of stopping anytime soon with high-quality graphics (similar to console/PC versions)! The growth is further increased given how powerful mobile devices have gotten over the years: an iPhone 12 is more powerful than a Playstation 4! 

The Rise of Augmented Reality 

Augmented reality may be the future of gaming.  From Pokémon Go to Minecraft Earth, augmented reality is quickly becoming a common sight among gamers. Virtual Reality might seem more popular at first glance, but it’s actually augmented reality that has taken off in the last few years. 

So what exactly is Augmented Reality?

It’s pretty much what it sounds like – adding an overlay on top of your current vision to make things appear different from their original form. 

For example, if you’re playing a zombie survival game and you look up into the sky, you might see helicopters fly overhead while zombies crawl out from behind trees and houses. 

Sounds like a fun time, doesn’t it?

This would be considered augmented gameplay because everything happening around you is made possible by technology added to your surroundings. That means you could potentially play the game anywhere. 

This is augmented reality at its best, but plenty of games don’t quite work as well. It isn’t yet up to par with virtual reality, but it’s still a growing trend that will continue to develop over time – and it’ll be interesting to see how far developers can push the limits of the technology.

Wrapping It Up

It looks like 2022 will only see even more growth within this space! From augmented reality to esports, it’s clear that there’s never been a better time to be an avid gamer. 

The next five years of gaming should offer plenty of new innovations, as well as different ways for gamers to experience their favorite titles and genres. Let us know what you think!