Exploring the Business of Online Gaming and its Evolution

It’s natural for games and gaming to be viewed through the lens of the player – games as a form of entertainment or even as art. However, they also exist as products, which means that they can equally be viewed in a business context.

While this perspective can feel unfair to those who enjoy any game, it can be upon this perspective that the future of any given title is decided. A game can be critically well-received, but if it doesn’t make money, then there is little hope of it having a future.

A Live Service

Many games now are seeking to become live service games – titles that have a longer lifespan and that are enjoyed continuously by a core audience through regular developer updates. This is the route that games such as Destiny 2 have found success with, but there are many other titles like Anthem and the recent Suicide Squad title which never quite managed to land. As such, while the rewards on display to developers here are clear, they’re by no means a guarantee. What’s more, there is often a divide in audiences as to whether or not live service games are good for the industry, as they are arguably more focused on raw profit than artistry much of the time.

Online Casinos

One type of gaming that might appeal heavily to people who might not even consider themselves in the gaming sphere could be online casinos. If you’re someone who enjoys interacting with slot machines or occasionally visiting physical casinos, then the idea of loading up your phone when you have a free moment to visit some slots can be an appealing prospect – and that’s before you even realise the variety of possibilities afforded by this digital medium.

Outlets like Lucky Nugget in Canada can allow a player a quick roll of the slots, a quick hand of blackjack, or a quick spin of the roulette wheel. It might also allow video poker, as well as a smattering of other slot variants that branch the game out into any number of directions. With all of these options, however, it’s important for the platform to offer safety – both in the form of a secure platform and through responsible gambling advice.

ESports

Arguably, the dream of any competitive online game is to end up as an eSport that is enjoyed all around the world – featuring in regular competitions and drawing the attention of advertisers and sponsors everywhere. This can ensure that a game has a continuous community and lifespan that keeps it earning money – bringing it quite closely into parallel with regular sports.

There’s no set lifespan that a game is guaranteed once it becomes an esport. If a more successful sequel comes along, that might be enough to knock this game off of its throne – or it might just have its time. However, looking in the direction of some examples like Rocket League, it becomes clear that some games have the opportunity to enjoy success for much longer periods of time.