The Oregon Trail was the hottest game in the late 1980's and early 1990's with the earliest versions being released on Apple II. The Oregon Trail was a computer game where players would lead a wagon party of settlers from Missouri to Oregon in 1848. The goal was to successfully navigate the hazards of the trail, such as river crossings and disease, and reach the destination alive. It was a game that spawned a million gamers and gave birth to what we know today as the gaming industry.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has been transforming the gaming industry in recent years, giving rise to more responsive and adaptive video game experiences. These AI-powered interactive experiences are typically generated by non-player characters (NPCs), which act intelligently or creatively, almost as if they are being controlled by a human game-player. AI serves as the engine that determines an NPC's behavior in the game world, making it a crucial component in modern gaming.
Gaming Growth
Revenue in the Video Games segment is projected to reach US$365.60bn in 2023.
Revenue is expected to show an annual growth rate (CAGR 2023-2027) of 7.17%, resulting in a projected market volume of US$482.30bn by 2027.
In the Video Games segment, the number of users is expected to amount to 3.04bn users by 2027.
(Statistics by Statista)
Gamers Profile
It's difficult to pinpoint who is a gamer and what they look like. We can safely move away from the narrative that gamers are loners and weirdos sitting in their mothers basement. Luckily gaming has had a renaissance era and gaming profiles are as varied as the games available. It's difficult to provide an exact profile of the "average gamer" as gaming has become a mainstream activity enjoyed by people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds. However, here are some general characteristics of the modern gamer based on various studies.
The average age of a gamer is 35 years old, with over 70% of gamers being over the age of 18. Approximately half of all gamers are female, although this varies depending on the genre of the game. Popular genres include action, sports, strategy, and role-playing games; this varies widely depending on the individual gamer's preferences. Many gamers enjoy playing with friends or other gamers online, either cooperatively or competitively.
Rapid Advancements Within the Gaming Industry
AI is being used to personalize gameplay experiences for individual players. By analyzing player data, AI can create custom challenges and obstacles that match the player's skill level and style. By using AI-driven technologies like machine learning, games can create more realistic and immersive worlds.
NBA 2K23 Features
One of the most popular games that is blurring the lines of the immersive gaming experience is NBA 2K23 a basketball video game developed by Visual Concepts and published by 2K Sports, based on the National Basketball Association. It is available on multiple platforms such as PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S, and Microsoft Windows. The graphics in NBA 2K23 gives the player an exceptional basketball simulation that truly immerses players in the fast-paced action and excitement of the sport. The addition of the new VR feature called "My PLAYER scan." Takes the experience to a whole new level, allowing players to feel like they're on the court. Scanning yourself allows players to use their smartphone's camera to scan their face and create a custom player that looks like them. This feature uses advanced facial recognition technology to create a 3D model of the player's face, which can be used in the game.
Gaming in the Metaverse and Web 3
The metaverse and web 3 are new frontiers for the gaming industry, and AI is poised to play a major role in shaping these new worlds. As gaming becomes more immersive and interactive, AI will be used to create more realistic and dynamic virtual worlds. Games will become more social, with AI-driven NPCs and player interactions that feel more natural and human-like.
As a leading asset management company, Creed&Bear sees the value in gaming companies which have proven to grow their numbers year after year.
We can all learn a few things from the gaming community. Their global community of inclusiveness and the willingness to adapt quickly to technologies like AI have made them the unlikely heroes of AI adoption.
