Over the past decade we’ve seen the concept of online gaming become revolutionised through some pioneering technical achievements that have helped us enjoy seemingly limitless gameplay in an infinite online environment.
Since the first tentative online gaming steps with the likes of Quake, it’s now become pretty much essential for any major new release to embrace the full online potential so that gamers can enjoy more convenient blackjack games, more chaotic multiplayer battle arena fun, and more realistic strategic possibilities.
2016 has already seen perhaps the most impressive multiplayer game yet in the form of Overwatch. This stylish release for PC, PS4 and Xbox One delivers a striking update to the first-person shooter genre by providing a great way for players to get together in an online environment, choose their favoured character and then really let the chaotic battle exploits ensue.
And whilst there’s an enviable range of new online gaming titles, other preexisting releases have also sought to increase their shelf-life through the way in which downloadable content can add further challenges for the gamer.
Although Grand Theft Auto V has been out for nearly three years, Rockstar Games are continuing to increase the brand’s visibility through new modes for GTA Online that shows that it’s not just the big releases that can serve the new generation of online gamers.
In particular it’s the mobile gaming realm that’s really fuelling the online gaming revolution with an endless series of massively multiplayer online strategy games like Boom Beach and Game of War providing a decent mobile alternative to their PC counterparts.
Certain real-life activities have also been given an impressive new online gaming facelift with Betway giving us all a digital way to peak at your hand thanks to their potentially lucrative online blackjack games. And who can resist the unprecedented rise of weird simulator apps like Farming Simulator 3 and even Goat Simulator that allow any of us to live out our most mundane or farfetched fantasies!
However, it’s the way that modern online gaming is evolving into more of a social activity that’s really capturing the headlines. Already we’ve seen Nintendo unveiling their first mobile app – Miitomo – that blended social and gaming attributes to great effect.
And with the rise of dedicated online gaming channels like Twitch.tv and YouTube’s gaming app allowing gamers to comment and share their latest gaming exploits with unprecedented ease, it’s clear that our online gaming futures are going to get a lot more social in years to come.