Gaming online has changed in recent years, from a world in which a few individuals used to sit, usually on their own, in a room playing a game, whether on a desktop computer or a games console, to a behemoth of an industry that is now actually to an extent perceived and accepted as a spectator sport (thanks to the explosion of eSports).

This evolution from a niche activity to finding a widespread audience has in turn changed online gaming to a fully mainstream sport, and one that has even been touted as a possible event in a future Olympics (and one that is already being included in the 2022 Asian Games). Remarkably, eSports are also available to be watched online via gaming streaming sites and on the likes of BBC Three.

The question that still remains though, is whether the iGaming industry, with big companies like Guts, best online casino UK licensed, can continue to fully embrace the social element of gaming, which has made gaming about so much more than just playing a game and looking at a screen, with competitors playing against opponents, and actually getting to know, and in some cases, make friends with, fellow gamers online. It is this element of sociability in 2017 that is likely to bring forth the new dawn of iGaming when it comes to the sector’s evolution.

Does iGaming Show the Future of Gaming?

Companies like Guts have had to make sure that they are able to offer gamers a serious, social experience, meaning that they can appeal to gamers who want to experience the draw of a real casino experience without heading out the front door.

These brands have done this by embracing technology, taking onboard advances with augmented reality and virtual reality, both buzzwords of the industry that are likely to bring forth a revolution that makes the world of gaming even more immersive and sociable. Indeed, the world of gaming looks likely to move from being one where online players simply sat in different rooms and played games, to one where they can easily see one another, talk to each other using a range of different webcams and devices, and, virtually at least, smell, touch and see each other in the virtual world.  

This could happen just as easily in the world of iGaming, with players feeling like they are sat in a casino, as in console and PC games like FIFA, where you will perhaps be interacting as part of a team of 11 players playing football virtually.

A World of Change

While the future could see leaps that are almost unimaginable now, the fact is that the world of online gaming has moved forward from being one where games could be enjoyed online to an extent, to one where the world of social interactions and getting to know your opponent is not only a fun part of the game, but an element that gamers expect to feature heavily, helping to spawn the rise of massively multiplayer online games like Plarium’s Vikings: War of Clans and the Clash of Clans games. 

If you then look more deeply at how online gaming has changed, the simple truth is that it has evolved from being a place and an activity for hardcore gamers to an entertainment landscape accessible for anyone, regardless of their skill level and whether or not they are sat at home playing on a console or a PC, or (as most people do nowadays) playing slots or an MMO on their mobile device. Whatever happens, it’s bound to be seriously exciting as this most forward-thinking of industries continues to gather pace.