The global digital media industry has continued growing consistently over the last two decades, with gaming taking the biggest market share in revenues. In 2020, the online gaming market generated about $21 billion in revenues, translating to a 21.9% growth compared to 2019. This boost was all thanks to last year’s lockdown, which forced millions of people to turn to digital entertainment avenues while at home.
Currently, there are about a billion online gamers worldwide, with South Korea, Japan, and China having the biggest market share. This online gaming audience is expected to be 1.3 billion by 2025, with more people choosing to play at the best online poker sites and other gaming websites instead of traditional casinos. Here’s what the future holds for online gaming:
More Time Indoors or a Social Experience?
From casinos to adventure games like Pokemon Go apk download, online gaming will benefit significantly from the continuing development of digital technology. However, there are conflicting views over the impact that this might have on human interactions in real life.
Some believe that people will continue being secluded more than ever, reducing their interaction to the virtual kind. However, there’s evidence that playing games are becoming a huge social experience, with over 70% of British parents revealing that gaming has helped them bond with their children. That said, it looks like the future of gaming in the lounge and not the bedroom.
More Viewers than Ever
The online gaming industry is also attracting more spectators than ever, thanks to competitive games, competitions, and leaderboards. With this growth in spectator pursuit, the top players are now becoming superstars doing what they love. Even better, the most popular games boast huge audiences on platforms like YouTube, with matchups featuring top players worldwide.
Thanks to the growth in video game spectators, top players are also getting signed by professional esports teams worldwide. For instance, David Bytheway – one of the top FIFA interactive soccer players in the world has already signed a contract with Wolfsburg, and the German team believes his high profile will be valuable to the brand. That shows the possibilities for video gamers are endless.
The future of online casinos is also looking great, with several poker players already being recognized stars. As such, baccarat and blackjack players can expect the same to happen, thanks to the rise of live casino gaming. That shows it’s just a matter of time before winners start being broadcasted far and wide.
Access for All
It’s no secret that online gaming will keep growing in popularity in the coming years. Quite simply, that’s all thanks to the availability of affordable internet around the world, with more users taking the opportunity to play online games. In 2013, Google’s exec Eric Schmidt predicted that almost everyone will have access to the internet around the world within a decade and already that trend is starting to be evident.
Today about 87% of Americans have access to affordable internet and the world is connected by so many devices. That means we can expect more internet users, more devices, and new games in the coming years.