CES 2024 is less than six months away, and in advance of the world’s largest and most influential consumer technology showcase, Retail Technology Insider is exploring some of the top trends and stories that are shaping the consumer electronics industry.
Over the past half-century, video games have evolved from two-dimensional challenges on the Atari to artistically beautiful, photo-realistic experiences on advanced consoles such as the Xbox series X or PlayStation 5. We’re even seeing the evolution of fully immersive virtual reality (VR) technology that was foretold in science fiction novels and movies for decades. Video gaming is so advanced, accepted, and pervasive today that people can even play incredibly advanced games on their phones.
This advancement is only part of the reason why, according to the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), 73 percent of the U.S. population aged 13 to 64 play video games at least one hour a day across mobile, PC and console platforms in 2022. That is a 3 percent increase since 2019, which might not seem like a lot, but equates to nine million new gamers in just three years.
Some of the video game giants that have used CES as a launch pad for their video game hardware, peripherals, and platforms include Atari, Commadore, Nintendo, Microsoft Xbox, Oculus Rift, and more.
CES, the world’s preeminent consumer electronic showcase hosted annually by the CTA, has been a window into these stunning advancements in the video game industry for decades. The show brings the world’s gaming behemoths together to debut their latest products and platforms, and to demonstrate the gaming technologies that will define the future of video gaming.
Some of the video game giants that have used CES as a launch pad for their video game hardware, peripherals, and platforms include Atari, Commadore, Nintendo, Microsoft Xbox, Oculus Rift, and more. And for good reason. More than 9,000 of the industry attendees who attended CES 2023 listed Gaming and Esports as one of their business interests – and 63 percent of those attendees were senior-level executives looking to identify the “next big thing” in gaming.
What new technologies and gaming trends will dominate discussion and interest at this year’s CES? The CTA recently released a study entitled, The Future of Gaming: 2022, that could shed some light. Here are four video game trends and technologies that you can expect to be on display at this year’s CES:
Gamers wanna game
Gamers are constantly looking for new titles to play in order to keep themselves entertained and challenged. This is great news for video game developers who decide to exhibit at CES 2024.
According to the study conducted by CTA, almost three-quarters of gamers have made a gaming purchase in the past six months. No matter the gamer level, people enjoy purchasing new game titles.
Even 53 percent of mobile gamers who typically play free-to-play games have purchased a new game in the past six months.
Hardcore gamers had the highest rate of purchasing in the past six months, with 92 percent buying new games. Console gamers were also the most likely out of all gaming mediums to buy new games at 86 percent. Even 53 percent of mobile gamers who typically play free-to-play games have purchased a new game in the past six months.
Gaming gets social
Exhibitors demonstrating a social aspect in their gaming experiences can anticipate significant interest at CES 2024. The long-held gamer stereotype of being socially-isolated has been debunked; gamers are now using video games to be even more social and connect with others who share their passion.
53 percent of hardcore gamers want to feel connected. Luckily, this has been made possible with online platforms that allow people to play games together, even when they are not in the same room or even the same country.
This desire to be connected and play online is creating increased demand for multi-player, online games, and the peripherals that enable a more interactive, social experience when online gaming.
Metaverse takes center stage
The belief that video games will be more social in the next five years may also be attributed to the hype of the emerging metaverse. Gamers, especially hardcore gamers, are excited about future gaming experiences enabled by augmented reality (AR), VR, and metaverse technologies, with 51 percent being amped about this emerging technology.
Luckily, more immersive experiences in gaming are on the horizon.
However, there has been a seven percent decrease in the excitement over metaverse gaming since 2019. This may be due to the lack of successful AR games and slow progress in AR glasses over the last three years.
Luckily, more immersive experiences in gaming are on the horizon. Bob Ohlweiler, fellow hardcore gamer and SVP of Razer – in an episode of CES Tech Talk – lifts the veil on how the company’s evolving video game equipment will create the deeply engaging gaming experiences gamers are yearning for.
While gamers desire better gaming hardware, there has been a large shift in interest toward more AR, VR, 3D, and metaverse implementation in the future. As a matter of fact, according to the CTA study, 22 percent of gamers want to see more improvements in the implementation of AR/VR/3D/metaverse gaming; this statistic has increased by 14 percent since 2019. This means gamers are anticipating metaverse gaming, and gaming developers, as well as gaming developers, need to deliver on hardware and metaverse gaming content.
New peripherals are entering the arena…
If AR, VR, and the Metaverse are going to keep their promise of totally immersing gamers in the experience, they’re going to need some help from cutting-edge peripherals.
Anticipate a new generation of high-res gaming displays at CES 2024 that are capable of portraying modern games as the works of art that they are. Also, since gamers want to FEEL like they’re in the game, expect to see more devices that can deliver haptic feedback and vibration to really sell the immersive experience – including haptic sleeves.
Video gaming is a market that cannot be ignored. Clearly, there is a high demand for gaming in the present and future.
Finally, since gaming is for everyone, CES 2023 highlighted new controllers and peripherals capable of bringing today’s most exhilarating games to disabled gamers. This included Sony’s Project Leonardo, a controller for people with disabilities.
Video gaming is a market that cannot be ignored. Clearly, there is a high demand for gaming in the present and future. As technologies continue to progress, this demand will only increase, and gaming developers and hardware manufacturers need to keep pace with gamers’ desires.
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