Video gaming is experiencing a surge in popularity worldwide, especially in Asia with over 1.48 billion players. Gaming has evolved from a mere hobby to a profession for competitive e-sports organisations and players from diverse backgrounds. Here are seven trends shaping the next generation of immersive gaming.

Unreal Engine 5.1

Epic Games released Unreal Engine 5.1, an upgrade to the game engine used by half of all upcoming next-generation video games. It offers hyper-realistic visuals and templates for creating entire cities, making game development more efficient by allowing developers to focus on graphics rather than infrastructure design.

Unreal Engine 5 also enables the development of large-scale metaverses, with tools that support realistic simulations and interactive content. NVIDIA Ominverse is another platform contributing to immersive gaming experiences by creating digital twins for AI Avatars.

NFT ownership

Web3 game studios are enhancing user experience by introducing NFT ownership, allowing players to create, collect, and trade in-game assets as NFTs. This ownership is secured by blockchain technology, giving players full control over their profiles and in-game items.

Cross-platform portability

Cross-platform portability is crucial for a seamless gaming experience, enabling players to use the same NFTs across multiple games. This concept extends to weapons, achievement badges, and player rankings, enhancing interoperability and player interactions.

Asset monetisation

NFT monetisation and game sales reached US$5.17 billion in 2021, providing players with ownership and monetisation opportunities for in-game assets beyond weapons. This shift empowers players to contribute to game evolution and capture monetisation opportunities in a fair system.

NFT marketplaces

NFT marketplaces such as QORPO Market offer players the ability to directly buy, sell, and trade in-game items, fostering liquidity, scarcity, and player-driven initiatives within gaming ecosystems.

Community DAOs

Decentralised autonomous organisations (DAOs) allow players to participate in important game decisions, ensuring transparency and decentralised governance. This system is adopted by Play and Earn games like Decentraland and Citizen Conflict to involve users in shaping the game’s future.

Social metaverse

Gaming communities are transitioning to the SocialFi Metaverse, where players can engage in virtual spaces, share experiences, and participate in events, blending digital gaming with real-life interactions. This social aspect enhances player engagement and fosters a sense of community within gaming environments.

This article was originally published by The Human & Machine, and the image credit belongs to them.

Published on January 4, 2023, on e27.

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