From the indie game studios growing hyper-active to the large game studios slowing down their game release, 2021 has been quite a year for the video game industry.

The gaming industry is all set to catapult into 2022 with new developments and advancing technologies.

• GoNewsIndia expects that the video game industry will reach $196 billion by 2022.
• Mordor Intelligence estimates, the global video game market will hit $314.40 billion by 2026

It is not hard to believe that the video game industry is growing leaps and bound, maintaining its status of being one of the most lucrative industries. Both commercially and technically, the industry has surpassed every benchmark.

Technological trends like Extended Reality (AR, VR, and MR), people’s inclination towards mobile gaming, and the rise of streaming video games are the major reasons behind this dramatic boom in game development services.

AR and VR in Gaming

For immersive first-person video game playing experience, Augmented and Virtual Reality gaming have barely any alternative. The advent of Pokemon Go gave rise to AR gaming overnight popularity.

As per Industry ARC reports, the AR and VR video game market will hit $11.0billion by 2026. The growth follows an 18.5% CAGR from 2021 to 2026.
Integration of AR and virtual reality solutions in mobile and wearable devices and people’s craving for immersive gaming experiences propel this growth. As per The Economist, the VR headset price will drop in the coming years.

The VR gaming devices like VR headsets, hand controllers, etc., allow the players to get an interactive gaming experience. 

Opposite to being fully immersed in a VR game, AR overlays digital objects and sounds onto the real environment of the gamer. It is what makes the format even more engaging and accessible. The rise of smartphone penetration has helped game developers tap into AR as a storytelling medium.

Cross-Platform Gaming

Another trend that will define the gaming ecosystem in 2022 is Cross-platform gaming. Developing games that can be played using multiple systems and consoles has had its share of road bumps in the past.

Soaring costs and lack of technology were the primary reasons games could not be played across platforms. But in 2021, gamers have seen light at the end of the tunnel with developers experimenting with game codes to make cross-platform gaming a reality.

Competitive Multiplayer Mobile Gaming

2020 witnessed the transformation of competitive multiplayer mobile games into a rage. With eSports turning into a global phenomenon and the rapid popularity of games like PUBG Mobile, Multiplayer mobile games have proved themselves a prominent trend of 2021.

Additionally, multiplayer formats keep gamers engaged through social interaction and a sense of achievement over other players. More and more gamers are enthusiastic to make in-app purchases and pay just to stay in the game.

In 2022, gamers’ enthusiasm for multiplayer video games has no sign to slow down.

Blockchain-Based Gaming

Blockchain has changed the rules by transforming gaming into a sector with a plethora of opportunities to explore. Blockchains use powerful data encryption technologies to prevent hackers from modifying or destroying an online transaction.

The Blockchain video game market potential is quite overwhelming.

• The total value of Blockchain game market was $175 billion in 2020 which will grow o $218 billion by 2023 as per Newzoo reports.
• Newzoo also reports, people will be spending $168billion on in-game purchases by 2023 

Gaming could gain benefits from this technology in making in-game purchases safer. Apart from opening safer and newer territories for developers, blockchains will allow greater control to the players to move from Pay2Win to Play2Earn.

Additionally, blockchain is a revolutionary platform to create and store in-game assets. It was a prominent trend to watch out for in 2021! It will stand at the tipping point of the video game industry trend in 2022.

Increased Number of Puzzle Games

For the past few years, the puzzle gaming genre has been going through many subtle to noticeable changes. By 2025, the puzzle game genre will get its ultimate shape. 

By 2021, puzzle gaming is on its way to reaching $20,685million. As per Statista’s projection, the total revenue of the puzzle video game segment will grow at $33,217million by 2025. 

People’s love for Homesacpes, Gardenscapes, Candy Crush is not going to die soon. It will stay alive for a few more years.

Hyper-Casual Games are Going to Rule

Sensor Tower’s Industry Trend report states hyper-casual video games dominated the 2020 video game landscape.

Hyper-casual games are easy to play in nature, allowing people to have fun and relax without magnifying their intelligence corner of the brain.

• On the other hand, Advertising and Media Insider reports, India’s online gaming industry will reach INR 187 billion by 2022.
• As per BusinessWire’s projection, the global online gaming market will grow at a CAGR of 11.9% by 2026.

All these market estimations and projection triggers the immense growth of the hyper-casual video game segment within 2026.

See Also: Turnkey Solutions

Cloud and Streaming Video Games

Gaming as a Service (Gaas) or cloud gaming is a revolution in the making that could redefine the entertainment and gaming industry. Completely eliminating the need for high-end and expensive hardware, cloud gaming will enable remote access to gaming content.