How IoT Is Disrupting The Gaming Industry 

The gaming industry is huge. With vast amounts of consoles, award-winning games and hours of endless fun, it comes as no surprise that around 40% of UK adults play games online according to data collected by Ofcom. 

Last year, a whopping £2.64 billion was spent on PC and console games which was an increase from the year before. This shows that the industry is growing, but will gaming as we know it today, stay the same forever? 

The Internet of Things is certainly capable of shaking things up and has already begun disrupting the gaming industry. It is simultaneously enhancing the quality of games and improving user experience, so we thought we’d share exactly how this is happening. 

Better gaming devices 

The Internet of Things has opened up new possibilities for developers. This is because many consoles are now integrated with a single-board computer such as the Rock Pi. Some of these possibilities include users now being able to connect to game servers and stream gameplay from remote locations.

Enhanced game development 

Alongside improved usability, IoT also helps game developers make their projects bigger and better. Games are now becoming more realistic and developers can also create new titles on mobile devices to a much higher standard – something that was not possible before the Internet of Things. 

What’s more, user immersion is now better thanks to the enhancement of controllers. These can now react to the game and vibrate alongside your character’s actions, which is a satisfying phenomenon. 

Revenue streams 

Additional services such as subscription models like PlayStation Plus mean that companies can now make more money and gamers must pay it to get the most out of their devices. Plus, clever data analytics can also suggest new video games to players which can increase the number of sales.

Furthermore, video game costs don’t end when you buy the title anymore. Instead, in-game vanity purchases like costumes for characters or downloadable content are frequently released. This means money can be continuously made throughout the game’s cycle. 

Better interconnectivity

IoT devices can connect with one another, which has made things like cross-platform gaming and communication a regular occurrence for players. Not only can you now play with users on other devices, but you can also interact with your console from your smartphone. This makes talking to friends – or making new ones – even easier.

As you can see, many of the new developments in gaming can be attributed to the Internet of Things and that’s likely to continue in the future. Video games will have enhanced realism and experiences are expected to become more immersive, which gamers can’t wait for.