It seems like every day, there’s a new trend promising to take over the entertainment industry. Whether it’s something like 3D TV, which was once hyped as the big new thing, or motion-controlled gaming like the Nintendo Wii and Xbox Kinect, which were successful but didn’t change the industry in the way some anticipated, one reason these trends come and go is because the novelty wears off, and people decide they prefer the traditional or convenient options. Still, not all trends come and go; some stick around for years.
When video games went fully mainstream in the late 1970s and early 1980s, nobody knew they were a trend that would stand the test of time. Technology has made it possible for gaming to improve at a steady pace, and over 40 years later, those early games bear little resemblance to the titles we play today. Over the years, gaming has gone from being a pastime of a few to an indispensable part of modern entertainment. In this article, we look at the role of gaming in modern entertainment.
Mobile Entertainment
It wasn’t until recently that we could take our entertainment with us everywhere we go. A couple of decades ago, if a person wanted to watch a movie, they did so from home or at a movie theater. The same was true of sporting events and video games. Besides music, which has been portable since the days of the Walkman, most other forms of entertainment had to be enjoyed at a stationary location because of the limits of technology. For example, if a person wanted to play slots, they’d most often have to travel to a brick-and-mortar casino, which could be hours away, depending on where they lived.
Entertainment has undergone a massive shift in the past few years as internet speeds have increased, making it possible to take more and more entertainment with us on the go. Some of the biggest changes can be seen in the gaming industry, where iGaming has changed how people view casinos. Today, virtual platforms have an assortment of themed slots like the Book of Dead. This slot’s Egyptian theme takes players on a journey with explorer Rich Wilde as they spin the reels. It’s not just casino games that have made entertainment mobile; all games that can be played on a mobile device have contributed to this trend. From Candy Crush Saga to Fortnite, gaming has proved that entertainment is often better when mobile.
Video Games as a Storytelling Powerhouse
When most people think of storytelling, books like the Lord of the Rings series come to mind. While video games didn’t deliver much of a storytelling punch in their early days, all of that has changed in the past couple of decades. Many video games weave deep stories into the gameplay and are as compelling as even the best novel. These story-heavy video games draw players in as they follow the twists and turns of the plot and keep playing to find out what will happen next. Titles like The Last of Us and Red Dead Redemption 2 are two of the most important examples of this trend. They have well-developed characters and emotionally charged storylines that make players want to keep coming back for more.
Crossover with Other Entertainment Industries
Some of the most popular series in recent years have been based on video games, showing how much gaming has influenced other parts of the entertainment industry. Adaptations like HBO’s The Last of Us series and Netflix’s Arcane, based on League of Legends, have been heaped with praise from critics and viewers alike. Given their success, it’s likely we’ll see even more series and movies based on gaming titles.
Video games have also served as inspiration for music, fashion, and digital art trends, with in-game concerts and virtual fashion lines bringing the virtual and real worlds together. Collaborations between Hollywood studios and gaming companies are becoming increasingly common, showing how much both industries can benefit from each other.