Are Today’s Video Games Becoming Tomorrow’s Reality?
The economy may be in a recession, but the sale of video games has not suffered. Since the early part of 2008, video game products have sold topping $1.7 billion. What does this tell you about the future of the video gaming industry? The video gaming companies continue to release new systems and games and the public continues to buy them.
The newest systems, including the PS3 and the Nintendo DS Lite, which is just a smaller adaptation of the DS, are a far cry from the beginning systems. They make the Magnavox Odyssey seem like a figment of the imagination. With the technology we have today, it is likely at some point in time the PS3 and DS Lite will suffer the same fate.
Playing video games is not just for kids anymore. There are million of adults of all ages playing Nintendo, PS3 and Xbox 360. This used to be mainly a pastime for the younger generation; males in particular. The graphics have a lot to do with the interest being shown in video games.
Speaking of graphics, the addition of motion sensitive controls is the latest in the works for video systems. The ultimate goal at the present is to remove the limits and focus on virtual reality. This is what many believe is the future of video games.
No longer just a game, but a virtual reality experience is what games hope to be. Very similar to the holodeck that you see on the Star Trek shows. Virtually interacting between characters in the game is being explored right now. It would be really neat to have our own personal halodeck that would create different scenarios for our personal enjoyment.
Limitations to creating a game of virtual reality is due to the fact of people not being able to move around while sitting n their living rooms. This is just a bump that is being studied and how they will work around it. One alternative that was found is using brain activity.
In May 2008, during a study they found that a monkey used its brain waves to control the robot’s arm. The robot’s arm was manipulated by brain waves that fed the monkey. With more research they found that the monkey can control the robot’s arm while controlling its own arm.
Motion sensitive controls are the precursor to virtual reality games to play at home. A person wearing a headset would control actions using their brain waves. It’s not improbable that this will happen in the near future. The rate at which the gaming industry continues to evolve is nothing short of a miracle.
Eventually games will become even more realistic. The main consideration when developing a game system that would be motion sensitive will be what a company that decides to go this route is willing to spend to achieve the end result. This is where the consumer comes into the picture. What they are willing to purchase for a virtual reality game will dictate what a company is willing to spend money on developing.
Indications that a person is much more likely to play a game that will mock actions of real life rather than just using a controller. The future of where the video gaming industry is headed still remains to be seen.