Sponsored: How online game design is adapting to consumer demand
In many ways, the move online is a natural evolution for video gaming. It mirrors the changes in other mediums as, for instance, people increasingly prefer streaming films and music online to buying physical products or being restricted to their terrestrial TV schedule. As with these examples, online gaming offers greater choice and accessibility than solely console-based or PC-based games. The success of the Steam online gaming platform is testament to the desire of consumers to play the games they choose when they want to play them, and on the format of their choice.
Online gaming also offers much greater possibility for world-building, and for a level of depth and complexity unsupported by some console systems. Last year, it was announced that the hugely anticipated Fallout 4 would not be released for the Xbox 360 and PS3 as they would not be able to support all its features. Although these are not the current generation models, they are still widely used, and even the Xbox One and PS4 are increasingly lagging behind the software capabilities of many AAA games.
Wider worlds
Grand Theft Auto is perhaps the most popular gaming franchise in the world, and the creation of Grand Theft Auto V Online will have cost tens of millions of pounds and incalculable man hours. Yet the complex open world generated as a result could arguably be said to be superfluous to the gameplay that is at the heart of the GTA franchise. At the same time, this depth and scale of world-building is what the game’s global audience have come to expect and demand.
The technology used merely to create ambient background detail, for instance, is incredibly complicated, and there are elements of the gaming universe that may never even be discovered by most players. The online version of Grand Theft Auto allows for much greater exploration, however, and it has been estimated that there are more players “living” in GTA’s San Andreas City than in its real-life counterpart of Los Angeles.
One of the most well-known online games is World of Warcraft, which at its peak had over 12 million active subscribers worldwide. It has become the archetypal massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), rivalled only by the even more successful League of Legends. In its development, WoW has continually listened to the feedback of its players and online community. Putting questing at the heart of the WoW experience was something that came about as a result of early player demand.
Greater investment
Although action, adventure and role-playing video games continue to dominate the online market, one of the great success stories of the last decade has been the rise in online casino gaming. Casino games were among the earliest console games, but struggled to take off until the widespread connection of home computers to the Internet. Where console games could only use tokens or imaginary credits, improved Internet connections allowed actual money to be wagered, won and lost in online casino games. This gave the excitement and risk necessary to make these games as attractive as they are in real-world casinos, but with all the security, comfort and flexibility of playing from home. Online gaming has exploded in the last decade and the market is huge, especially considering this is without contribution from the US. Although online gambling is mostly illegal in one of the biggest international markets – the US – it is still worth $41.4 billion worldwide, triple the amount estimated ten years ago. Out of all online casino games it has become evident that slot machines are, by far, the most popular, perhaps due to the format’s simplicity, comparative excitement, and accessibility; unlike in bricks and mortar casinos, slot machines make a far higher percentage of an online casino’s revenue. While patrons were, at first, wary of video slot machines, those playing at home were far more used to such formats and could, perhaps, see instant rewards in such a pastime. For that reason the development of such slots games took off too; designers, very conscious of the need to keep up with current trends and technological developments, work hard to keep the slots games relevant and fun. Movie tie-ins, bonus special features, progressive jackpots and high-grade visual effects are all consumer-driven enhancements now widely expected from these games.
Classical simplicity
Apotheon is a popular online game that has sidestepped the trend towards ever-more complex and realistic design and world-building. Essentially an old-fashioned side-scrolling combat adventure game, it has a striking visual look derived from ancient Greek pottery. This minimal, textured, grid-based design lends itself to online gameplay extremely well, and Apotheon has drawn highbrow comparisons between video gaming and classical mythology as a result. However, it’s the overall aesthetic that has entranced and delighted players, and the designers have discovered that simplicity and depth can have its own rewards – a lesson that is sure to be picked up on by other games companies.
Gaming is an extremely competitive field, and a new game will represent a massive investment by the company concerned. To win players, games must outdo each other in terms of design and playability, and the online arena leaves them unhindered by the limitations of console systems. Factor in the question of accessibility, and it seems certain that consumer demand will continue to drive online gaming for some time to come.
