Video Games Continue to Grow in Popularity
When video games were first developed in the 1970s, developers may have yet to forecast how quickly the industry would grow. It went from a basic form of tennis and has developed into graphics that look as realistic as the sports people watch on television.
It has quickly become one of the most popular forms of entertainment. Younger generations are playing the newer version of video games. Older generations are more in tune with online casino news and play those games online instead of going to the actual casinos.
In the past three years, an even greater push in the video game industry has been made. The COVID-19 pandemic kept millions of people at home with nothing to do. Schools closed and went online. Companies shut down and scaled back their work, leading to furloughs, layoffs, and overall more free time.
One of the best ways for people to communicate was digital, with face-to-face interactions discouraged. The next generation of consoles also launched, though the Xbox Series X and S and the PlayStation 5 were difficult to land when established over two years ago.
Gaming filled a void. It connected friends, and it gave people a safe form of entertainment with a deadly virus claiming the lives of many across the globe. But the formative years leading up to the pandemic are part of the reason for the industry’s growth.
Evolving technology
The internet changed the game in the early 2000s. Particularly wireless internet gives homes the capability of having multiple devices used throughout. Speeds were much faster in the late 2000s, and gaming companies capitalized by developing online play.
It used to be that people would have to gather in the same room to play games. But wireless internet meant that everybody could have their gaming system and connect digitally.
In the early days, gaming was still relatively casual and just for fun and entertainment. Of course, there were goals of winning each game played. But it hadn’t yet developed into the monster that esports has become.
Competitive era
Gaming took another step in the 2010s. As developers began focusing on online play and creating new ways for gamers to compete, having a device in more households meant the user base had expanded. Eventually, there were ranking systems among the different games, and the top players would compete in smaller events.
Think of when ESPN broadcast the Madden tournament live, and the championship would be played in unique places like Times Square. Other games can be found on television, like Rocket League.
The competitiveness started ramping up as the National Basketball Association created the 2K league with teams, a draft, salaried players, and an esports league. Other gaming teams formed over time, such as those in the Call of Duty League. It’s similar in that players are paid to be on teams to practice and compete, with significant cash prizes involved.
It’s become so widespread that colleges offer scholarships for top gamers to attend their schools. Esports arenas are being built on campuses. High schools are even forming their own teams, and states have their own tournaments.
It’s a new era of gaming that has gone beyond a form of entertainment for casual stress relievers and instead has increased focus and concentration on becoming the best one can be.
Streaming aids growth
These leagues have access to broadcast their games in a variety of ways. The Call of Duty League has a partnership with YouTube to showcase its games. Other leagues will broadcast on Twitch or Facebook. There are people who have developed careers by becoming experienced casters, similar to play-by-play announcers or sports analysts.
But the real growth comes from the everyday people who broadcast to people on the aforementioned platforms. Some are competitive gamers who have huge followings because of their skills. Others create a welcoming environment for others and just have a good time, similar to the old casual days. But streaming and content creation has allowed anyone to have access to being good, a revenue stream, and ways to inform people of tips and tricks to improve their skills.
