Gaming became one of the biggest favorite past times of many Americans during the pandemic. Many spent their time in quarantine playing video games. Because of this, the market received a 37 % increase in its year-over-year sales. Suffice to say, gaming is currently becoming one of the biggest industries worldwide with no chance of slowing down. Many more games are coming out next year. Many gamers are excited to see what the next set of generation consoles can offer.
However, as the year comes to a close, it’s good to look back into the biggest trends we had this year because this will also determine the market’s future. Here are the three biggest gaming trends of 2020.
Battle Royale Games
Since the dawn of Fortnite and PUBG, battle royale games have been the king of the market. Millions of players are playing this kind of video game genre. Many thought that this trend would slowly lose traction. But it’s been two years since the genre’s inception, and it has no signs of slowing down.
This year has seen one of the biggest spendings in developing and improving different battle royale games. A report from Statista shows that many publishers and developers are investing more than two billion dollars into the genre. These investments are in the right place, considering that the market is earning billions every year. With one of its biggest players, PUBG, earning three billion dollars last August.
Many are also looking to get a piece of the pie. This year, at least ten games were released that were battle royales or had a battle royale feature. Even single-player games such as the Fallout series are looking into capitalizing on the genre. The market is surely getting oversaturated, but the trend just keeps on rising, and there seems to be no end in sight.
Simulator Games
Simulator games are one of the patiently growing trends in video gaming. It has seen a 63% increase in sales recently this year, reaching $1.5 billion in revenues last June. The genre is known for its immersive and mechanical experience, giving players a chance to play or ride certain vehicles. In some games, players are even introduced to new lives they could live. The genre is slowly growing. More developers and publishers are looking into investing in this trend to be a part of its growth.
Ultimately, the vehicle simulator genre is spearheading this trend because of how immersive they feel. Certain simulators can make you feel like you are driving a real car, piloting a real plane, or navigating a real ship. In some cases, some players invest in these simulations as a free trial for a vehicle. If you’re looking to rent a boat, a plane, or a car, give it a try first in simulation games to know how they feel.
These kinds of games can definitely make you feel like you’re driving the real thing. Take Microsoft’s Flight Simulator, for example. Some pilots are applauding the game because of how close it is to the real thing.
Mobile Games
Mobile games used to be a niche in the gaming industry. Only a few gamers were looking to invest their time into mobile games, as console and PC gaming was considered to be far superior. Now, it’s become one of gaming’s biggest trends.
The mobile games market currently earned $95 billion, achieving a staggering 25.3% year-on-year increase this year. Many publishers are also looking to investing heavily in mobile games. This is because mobile games are fast, easy, and cheap to produce compared to triple-A titles. The market is predicted to grow even bigger next year as more players join in with the trend.
The primary reason for this trend is because of how accessible mobile games are to the public. Almost everyone has a smartphone. By simply looking into a smartphone’s app store, anyone can already see a wide array of mobile games ready to be installed. Many of which are free. This gives many new players a chance to try the game and see whether they are willing to invest money and time. It’s a good business plan, especially for the video game market. The genre also has a wide-reach with many games translated into many languages to cater to many gamers all around the world.
Video games have become increasingly popular throughout the years. It’s growing to become one of the world’s biggest industries with billions upon billions of spending and revenue. Its trends have also become increasingly diverse as more publishers and developers disrupt the market. Additionally, the amazing growth it received this year can only mean great things for the industry’s future.
