4 Applications of IoT in Gaming Industry

Gaming industry has undergone a huge change in the last few years. With the advent of more and more advanced technology and comprehensive gadgets, the gaming industry has adapted these to make more adaptive and realistic games. 

 

It is really evident how the dynamics and the approach of making new games is changing. From playing games like Super Mario, Tank 1990, Contra etc via a cassette connectivity to playing games like PokemonGo, the Walking Dead etc which are augmented reality based and enriched with versatile graphics, the gaming industry has taken a switch. 

In this transition the internet of things or IoT has played a huge role. Also it will not be wrong to say that IoT has been the catalyst of such a change in the games which are being played these days. Virtual reality, augmented reality, enriched graphics, animations combined with great level of connectivity has taken the gaming industry a level up. 

 

What is IoT?
 

IoT refers to the abundance of physical devices which surround us everyday like smartphones, computers, tablets etc. very well equipped with softwares of storing, collecting, processing and sending data for various purposes across the devices through a wireless unseen network.

 

In simpler terms this can be understood as the device is being connected  to the internet and has sensors that transmit data to the system where it can be monitored,  it can be considered an IoT projection.

 

 

IoT in the Gaming industry

However, when we speak of the gaming industry the kind of devices and the features which are used are different. The devices used in gaming particularly are crafted based on a particular kind of game, there are sensor based devices combined with wearables making the character move in the game just like how the player moves in reality in some kind of games. 

 

There are also extensions of the views in the games which at a technical level are the craft of animations and graphics, using the same wearables if the player looks up in reality such features make the game more responsive hence they enable the character to see the upside view of any sort in the game. 

Moreover, there are gaming consoles and processors specially made for gaming which enables the players to connect to each other via the gaming portal to establish communication between them and enable them to play together without being unmindful of feeling what the character in the game is feeling. 

There are wireless remotes, gaming weapons like guns and swords equipped with sensors to update the real time movement and create an impact in the game for the player. 

 

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All of these are combined by a wireless network of technologically advanced objects and softwares making the gaming industry more adaptive and communicative for the players who wish to engage. IoT paves the way for real life interaction with the gaming world through the devices.

 

Applications of IoT in Gaming Industry 

There are a lot of ways in which the internet of things is benefiting the gaming industry and evolving in terms of games. Games are being made more user friendly and more versatile in terms of categories, graphics and even number of players and the levels each could provide. This is being facilitated by special gaming devices as well as smartphones.
 

Let’s have a look at how IoT is making a change in the gaming industry.

 

1. Increased Role of Mobile Phones

 

Smartphones are a necessity now for people and they are everyday evolving in their capacities and potential. They are not the same as they used to be old models with limited functions, they are currently the modes of gaming as well pertaining to their huge capacities. 

 

Mobiles have the technology now which makes the access to games and playing them using the sensors, cameras, mics and speakers of the phone way better and easier. This is not expensive like gaming consoles and PSPs or Xbox so anybody can afford to use it to play games. 

Using such features of IoT the gaming industry has raised the significance of smartphones. A few decades back there were no good graphics and huge capacity games meant for the phones, but as they are being immensely made to be connected to the internet, gaming has become cheap and accessible for the people. 

 

Most games which are being made currently are free to play and can be played across any device which is of the same capacity. The most lucrative perk of internet connected games played in smartphones is that this does not keep the gamer chained to a single place to be able to play games and this is just  a single device with all the necessary features required in gaming which makes it hassle free. 

 

Gaming industry finds a huge market in the smartphone based customers, there are mobile friendly games specially being developed by various developers as they understand this idea of smartphone connectivity has the potential to provide with the best possibility of games in this time of internet of things. 

Super Mario used to be played in a cassette based video game player which used to have a wired-buttoned controller for various movements but currently this game also has been modified by several developers into a mobile friendly version of it with controls imbibed in various kinds of touch movements instead of the remote. This clearly explains how the internet of things is changing the gaming industry.

 

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Role of IoT in the gaming industry

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 2. Making Social Games

 

Keeping in consideration the internet of things and its widespread use, the games which are being crafted today have been connected to each other with a wireless network which is totally web based and can be accessed from anywhere. 

 

These days the developers are making more community friendly games which are focused on an entire community and in some cases such games target a particular age group of people as they claim that this game is made for those people. 

 

Understanding this concern so that people can connect with each other and play with each other the games are being developed in the multiplayer mode with the capacity to connect and interact with other fellow devices of the friends or family to play the game together. 

Such community friendly games spread very quickly as the one who seeks to play them and the one who likes them is most likely to spread the word about the game to invite their close ones to the game. 

 

The most fascinating thing about the internet of things being used in such a situation is that it allows the devices to be connected to each other with just the inbuilt feature of the game. Free Fire  is one such multiplayer game which allows the players to speak to each other and communicate their gaming strategy to sustain themselves on the battlefield. 

 

3. Gamifying Non Gaming Activities 

 

The main advantage of games being moved to IoT is that the games have not ust remained games for fun and entertainment and relaxation. Games have moved to serve various purposes like education, health and even training of various sorts. 

 

The parts and aspects of the person's life which were not as convenient and fun as gaming before have been made to be like that. 

There are educational games for people which not just gives them this fun aspect of being indulged in an activity but at the same time provides them with some knowledge and makes their mind craft and discover new things. 

 

Students have lesson based games to play in the middle of their classes so that they can learn new things while having fun. Games like Sudoku target the mathematical reasoning of the player and over time they can use the tips and tricks more quickly and efficiently. 

 

Sudoku used to be on one of the pages of the newspapers traditionally as a daily activity but the internet of things and smartphones have made the developers make a software based version of it which is accessible easily by smartphones. 

Healthcare and Fitness experts are seeking ways to make that activity engaging, motivating and fun so games play a crucial role here too by connecting various sorts of internet based devices like smartphones, fitness trackers and using it as sensors for the character to play games. 

 

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This is how a popular gaming app Zombies Run works by simply making the player or a fitness enthusiast act as if they are in the middle of a zombie apocalypse and has daily missions for the players too to keep them engaged.

 

4. Versatility of Games
 

Internet based gaming and such devices has made the gaming industry become more versatile in terms of providing games of various kinds. There are a lot of categories and kinds of games which can be checked online these days. 

 

There are video game versions of games like Cricket, Tennis, Football etc which can be played using wearables . Also there is a wide range of games like Ludo, Chess, Pokemon Go etc are all present in such a way that they can be played by people calling their friends and family on board. 

Also this will not be wrong to say that the Gaming Industry which is gaining pace from IoT has made a change in other aspects as well. 

 

The Casino Industry also tends to use modern day gaming technologies to attract and retain new customers by connecting the game to various kinds of money adding and withdrawing platforms they also try to ensure a smooth and convenient user experience.
 

 

Conclusion

The IoT and technological advancements have made a huge change in gaming and the kinds of games that we play today. This is making the developers think of unique ways of understanding the customers preferences. 

 

In the case of graphics and adaptation of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality are being used to increase the quality and the display of the games so that they remain more and more lucrative to the players. 

 

On mobile based games the updates are sent which will fix bugs across the devices. Such advancements have been possible because of a network and opportunity created by the IoT for the gaming industry.