The video game industry has experienced an amazing and unexpected transition in the past few years. Professional gaming has become a cultural phenomenon and has been a staple of millennial culture. This has also led to the emergence of collateral industries of graphic cards and virtual reality headset etc. The increasing popularity of recreational games, the emergence of science fiction and the expansion of globalization have contributed immensely to this experience.

Here are the 5 biggest and most impactful innovation that will influence the consumption and trends in the gaming industry:

1. Cloud-based gaming:
Cloud-based gaming services share a lot of similarities with movie and television streaming services. The ability to stream video games is becoming a reality. As game achievements become instantly shareable and viewable, this allows gamers and game developers to compete for gaming glory. Special gaming tablets also allow cross-platform gaming and address the issue of software compatibility of their existing systems.

2. Blockchain in gaming:
Recently, blockchain technology has been finding a lot of applications in the gaming industry. It has already been implemented in a variety of casinos and card games as well as being incorporated into eSports. This indicates that both; gamers and game developers will soon be using blockchain-based applications even more. This will lead to the establishment of true ownership of items and artifacts they purchase or earn from their games. These items and artifacts will also possess real economic value to their digital assets.

3. Artificial Intelligence in gaming:
A lot of industries have incorporated artificial intelligence in some form or another within their operations. This has also been the case for the gaming industry. One of the most basic and primary instances of artificial intelligence in gaming is the default computer opponent. Today, the applications of artificial intelligence have evolved to incorporate and create stunning visuals, motion-capture technology and effective gaming algorithms. The monotonous gameplay of playing against an opponent and defeating them using the same moves as last time has been broken and has created an experience that is unique and challenging.

4. Voice recognition and Gesture control:
Voice recognition tools in gaming are aimed at helping control gaming gestures, monitor the controls and also side-line the role of a gaming controller. This is done by simply speaking to the controlling device. This opens up the possibility of searching the web, boasting about game achievements on social media and even browsing through the gallery simply by using your voice. Gesture controls, meanwhile, allows gamers to connect and interact with the game simply by using their natural body movements. This means that the gamer’s movements in the real world are captured and imposed on the character in the game. Several action-oriented games have already implemented this technology in their gameplay.

5. Wearable gaming:
The integration of wearable technology in gaming has been a welcome and innovative addition to the gaming industry as a whole. Gadgets like smartwatches and fitness trackers have allowed gamers to incorporate the fitness goals with those of a game. This creates engagement that helps to fuel their fitness goals. This technology is now being implemented in the entertainment industry as well. This technology has the potential to make gaming portable without causing massive changes in the pre-existing hardware devices.

Why is it important to know about these innovations?

As gaming entrepreneurs are becoming more and more interested in innovative gaming technology and aligning themselves with the marketing and branding objectives of these companies and industries which influence this set of the target audience.

The nature of gaming is such that it is fast and continually evolving. Therefore the early knowledge and adoption of such technological innovations will lead to significant and major advancements in the future.