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How Have Games Evolved with the Advancement of Technology and Digitalisation?

Considering where they are today, it is easy to look back at the early beginnings of videogames, with their pixelated graphics and basic gameplay, and view them as technologically rudimentary. In reality, the games development industry has always been at the forefront of technological innovation, often acting as the torch bearer for our constantly evolving digital world. The transformation of videogames over the last half century cannot be understated, with the effect of advancements in technology and digitalisation quite profound. Here’s an overview of just how much videogames have evolved.

Hardware Development

The release of seminal game Space Invaders in 1978 is seen by many as the start of the golden age of arcade videogames. Advancements in computer hardware such as central processing units, microprocessors and vector displays increased the capabilities of developers, allowing them to produce more powerful games with increased complexity. Before now, games like Pong had been successful but basic in design. The era saw multiple successful releases with Pac Man, Donkey Kong and Asteroids continuing to be a feature of popular culture today. The boom in popularity of arcade gaming allowed the basic techniques for interactive entertainment to be defined, driving down hardware costs and influencing the later development of personal computers.

The Home Console

Around a decade later, the concept of the home console became more common place with players now able to play their favorite games from their bed room. The release of the Nintendo Entertainment System and the SEGA Genesis introduced 8-bit and 16-bit capabilities, providing games with far superior graphics and sound quality compared to what had been before. Legendary games such as Sonic the Hedgehog and The Legend of Zelda highlight the improved quality of the new releases thanks to these more powerful consoles. As consoles continued to develop, so too did the quality of games. The release of the Sony PlayStation and Nintendo 64 in the mid 1990s made 3D graphics a reality leading to the development of even more expansive and engaging games.

Games go Online

The turn of the century saw what many consider to be the most important development for the videogames industry, the emergence of the internet. The integration of online capabilities into videogames in the early 2000s saw the rise of massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs). Games such as World of Warcraft and RuneScape took the gaming world by storm providing players with vast open worlds in which to complete quests with personalized characters. More importantly, the online nature of these games allowed individuals to interact with thousands of other players, establishing the birth of what would become a huge online gaming community and going on to influence how developers would approach games production in the future.

Maximised Realism

The release of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in the mid 2000s saw videogames revolutionized by HD graphics and advanced rendering techniques. New releases appeared more realistic than ever, with the higher pixel densities allowing for more detailed textures and the introduction of shader models allowing games to possess shadows, realistic lighting and reflections. Graphics processing units in consoles became more powerful, able to smoothly run these new HD games while the widespread emergence of LED TVs and monitors in homes across the world provided gamers the ability to truly experience these high-quality graphics. Games from this era such as Skyrim and Red Dead Redemption are firmly cemented as some of the most visually stunning games of all time.

Smartphones and Casual Gaming

The introduction and rapid integration of smartphones and tablets into our everyday lives, and the resultant birth of app-based games saw an explosion in what is known as casual gaming. Simple but addictive games such as Angry Birds, Candy Crush and Pokémon GO became cultural phenomena reaching a user base far broader than the traditional gaming community. Gaming became something for all of ages and types, with significant releases for children as well as many games designed for older users. One additional area of development was in the gambling sector which, thanks to the availability of smartphone gaming, witnessed the emergence of an online casino industry. Knowing that platforms such as Casino.org rank the best slots, players no longer needed the land-based casino to play their favorite games.

Online Gaming Community

While the early 2000s saw the beginnings of the online gaming world, thanks to the development of social media and online streaming platforms such as Twitch, the online gaming landscape over recent years has been transformed. Multiplayer games such as Fortnite and League of Legends have become hugely popular, incorporating novel social elements and approachable gameplay while also establishing hardcore online communities of fans. Livestreaming and esports competitions have become a leading form of entertainment able to attract significant audiences as well as lucrative sponsorship deals. In fact, the recent explosion of the games industry online has seen it dwarf traditional entertainment industries such as cinema and music, with gaming now having unprecedented global reach.

What Next?

With digital technologies continued to make huge strides forward, it will come as no surprise if we soon start to see these elements as a staple in our games. Artificial intelligence has already started to make its way into game design, being used as an effective tool for creating more intelligent and adaptive non-player characters, soon the technology could be used to make games of endless variety and playability. Furthermore, the concept of extended reality and the integration of gaming into a form of multiverse could soon become a reality further pushing the boundaries of what is possible.

Reflecting on just how rapidly games have evolved over their short lifetime highlights the fervent rate of technological advancement that has been witnessed over the past 50 years. It serves as an effective microcosm of our continued push towards greater digitalisation as we strive to progress. While looking back through our gaming history is easy to do, predicting what will come next is a much tougher question.