5 Important Trends Reshaping the Future of Game Development

The gaming industry is biggest than ever before, rising constantly in popularity and market value around the world. This should come as no surprise, of course, as technological advancement along with the higher accessibility of games and hardware makes it easier for anyone to get into gaming. People of all ages and genders are becoming a part of the gaming craze, and developers need to constantly come up with new and exciting solutions to keep the customers engaged and entertained.

Naturally, there are many factors and trends that influence the course of the gaming industry and the development process. As a developer or a leader of a dev team, you need to stay on top of these trends and prepare for any industry changes in order to bring better products to market. After all, in this highly competitive field, you can’t afford to fall behind your peers.

With that in mind, let’s go over the key trends that are reshaping the future of game development. 

The rise of virtual reality gaming

VR has been around for some time now, and in gaming, some brands have been dominating the market for years. What used to be a very niche field of game development geared towards a specific audience, has now become a multi-million-dollar industry where game developers and publishing companies are creating games to run specifically on virtual reality platforms. In 2021, you can choose from a number of VR-only games that enjoy immense popularity and are taking the entire industry forward.

From the masterpiece that is Half-Life: Alyx, to the gruesomely addictive Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners and beyond, people all over the world are enjoying the full and complete immersion of VR gaming. Of course, it’s not just that the VR games are better these days, it’s also about the accessibility of VR platforms and headsets.

As a game developer, you need to keep an eye on VR gaming in the years to come, because this niche is only going to continue on its upward path. In the future, you want to consider developing VR-only games, or at the very least, optimize your games for VR. 

Cross-platform optimization and gaming

It used to be that the global gaming community was strictly divided into console and PC gamers. However, in recent years, this line has become blurry and in the years to come, we will see a complete transition to holistic gaming where console and PC players are able to share their experiences and game together seamlessly.

Cross-platform gaming is something that the leading names in the industry are working on nowadays, hoping to unify the player base and bring more players to their games from all over the industry. If you want to succeed in 2021 and in the years ahead, you need to prioritize PC and console optimization for your game. For example, you should think what is the best ram for core i9-11900k because these details are important for the quality of gaming. We are not talking about just porting your games from console to PC and vice versa, we are talking about full integration and seamless cross-platform play for everyone in your community and the global player base. 

All eyes on the cloud gaming industry

Cloud gaming has been one of the most transformative and promising trends in the gaming industry in recent years. That said, it did not kick off quite as some of the pioneers in the sector intended. When Google Stadia first came out in 2019, it received lukewarm reviews but created a devoted following around the world. 

This duality stems from the fact that the current cloud gaming challenges prevent the concept from truly taking off, but that people all over the world realize the awesome potential of the technology. There is no denying that cloud gaming is the future, and not only are cloud companies rushing to perfect the technology and minimize performance issues, but game developers are also leveraging the power of the cloud to streamline their processes, save money, and optimize their games for a seamless user experience.

Community-driven game development

In the modern gaming world, the gamer is not just another customer. Gamers nowadays want to be a part of the process, they want their voices to be heard, and they want to help the game devs to develop better games than ever before. 

But to do that, they need the publishers and dev teams to listen. They need you to take an active role in the community, welcome feedback, and embrace the new way of game development. Many forward-thinking tech and gaming companies are now running under the slogan “developed in the crowd”, meaning that their community had an active role in bringing their products to life. 

Remastering and capitalizing on the classics

The gaming industry has decades of masterpieces behind it, and now is the time to relive those unforgettable gaming experiences in full HD 4K glory. Remastering the classics and optimizing them for the new generation of hardware and operating systems is not only what the people want, but it’s also a sound business strategy for game developers.

Whether you’re a small team looking for their breakthrough project or if you’re an established team looking to wow the community, remastering a beloved game is a great way to succeed. Be wary, though, this is a delicate process, and the fans won’t take lightly to your tampering with something they have been enjoying for decades.

Be careful, and approach remaster projects with a dose of humility and respect. Aim to honor the original, update it for the modern market, and focus heavily on the feedback of the passionate community. 

Wrapping up

Game development is always changing with the new trends, and it’s imperative to keep your fingers on the pulse of the industry. These trends are reshaping the gaming sector right now, and in the years to come, they will dominate the competitive market – so make sure to act on them right now to build a foundation of success.