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April 13, 2021

New Tech Features Reducing Cost of Online Gaming

It is an old market-force adage that more competition is always a good thing, even if now and again it can lead to the occasional dispute. This is because it encourages companies to invest in innovative new technologies while at the same time providing better value products for customers.



This is certainly the case with the online gaming industry, where games developers and publishers are constantly on the lookout for the next tech trend that can take their game offering to the next level, leaving competitors eating dust.

This has simultaneously seen the overall cost of online gaming come down, as players are able to access huge online libraries of games that only a few years ago would have cost a fortune to assemble.

Here we take a look at the new tech features and processes which are not only allowing online gaming companies to improve their gaming titles, but also bring down the cost of entry for those gamers looking to take on a new challenge.

Gamers increasingly expect to be able to play the games they love on almost any digital device, which raises a whole raft of tech issues for online gaming companies

Tech Helps Classic Games Be Cheaper and Easier to Play

Starting out with a new game can often be a daunting experience, as rookie players are expected to not only learn a raft of new rules and game dynamics, but also a whole load of specific terminology and lingo.

With this in mind, it is always welcome if technology and the companies that wield it can aid in assuaging the difficulties such fresh players face.

This all starts out with how much games cost to learn in the first place. Thanks to new technologies and mindsets at gaming companies, the days of needing to splash cash on a shiny new boxed game before you have even had chance to try it first are well and truly gone.

This is mainly due to what is known as free-to-play gaming, whereby players are invited to try a game for little or no cost, before then deciding if they wish to pay for more advanced or challenging versions of said game.

This is particularly prevalent in classic online games such as the ancient game of chess, the challenging head scratcher that is poker, and even longstanding battle royale games like Apex Legends, where companies are keen to mop up market share and the bulk of customer bases by attracting as many new players as possible.

The tech that makes this a viable business model is the instant online payment processes that such firms have developed, so that after a short period of free play, gamers can swiftly be converted into paying clients. Much of this tech, such as Fortnite’s V-Bucks or PokerStars’ Play Money, is based on tweaked versions of blockchain and cryptocurrency technology, whereby decentralized online-only currencies operate free of pre-existing financial hubs and restrictions.

By decreasing the cost of software needed to play the games they love, gamers can focus instead on putting together killer gaming setups

Mobile Tech Gives Gamers More Access

Undoubtedly one of the biggest tech advances of recent times that has had the greatest impact on the gaming experiences of players all over the world, is that of mobile technology.

This is seen most starkly in developing countries found in Asia and Africa, where cheap and yet powerful mobile devices have seen a huge boom in mobile gaming.

However, the cost barriers to more advanced and niche gaming technologies have been further broken down by mobile tech innovations. This can most clearly be seen in the field of VR gaming.

Whereas VR games used to be small fry compared to their nimbler counterparts, many mobile devices are now compatible with wireless VR headsets, which themselves continue to plummet in price.

The clever tech used to make this happen involves unique lenses, which are able to convert a standard flat image into a 360-degree surround.



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