Augmented and virtual reality had yet to make an impact on the technology market until Pokémon Go burst onto the scene two weeks ago and changed the game. Those who follow the latest developments in tech knew what was coming, but now AR has hit the mainstream everybody is speculating about what could happen next. Pokémon Go could spell the beginning of a brand new era for the gaming industry.
Basic but effective
The idea behind Pokémon Go is incredibly simple. These “pocket monsters” are hiding in various locations in the real world, and the budding Pokémon trainer must consult his virtual map to locate them. Then, when nearby, the Pokémon trainer can hold his phone up and see this creature juxtaposed on the background of the actual location. He can then swipe the screen to throw a Pokeball and catch the critter.
This kind of experience will be enhanced even further when wearing a pair of augmented reality glasses. It would mean that the Pokémon could appear anytime in a person’s peripheral vision without them having to hold up their phone. The fact that this basic idea has risen to such dizzying heights of popularity so quickly will lead software developers to raise the game, and start working on the next big thing.
Potential applications
There have already been some great ideas for other applications of AR and VR, and some prototypes of a virtual reality experience have provided an idea of the direction that the technology is headed. The VR roulette game from Microgaming is a fully immersive roulette experience set in space, and all players have to do is put on the VR headset to enter another world. Online casinos like Betway already have plenty of different ways to play roulette, and virtual reality could soon be another addition to their catalogs. This will undoubtedly lead to other casino games receiving a VR makeover, and one day the whole online casino could be one large VR experience.
It’s not just the online casino sector that has grand plans for this new tech either. Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing games are played by hundreds of thousands of gamers each day. These games take the player to another land in which they can embark on quests, or socialize with other players from all over the world. VR or AR could serve to enhance this experience ten-fold, as gamers will be able to enter these sprawling fictional universes and look around.
Endless possibilities?
The simplicity of the Pokémon Go idea may remind some technology lovers of early arcade games before the mighty processing power of the consoles took gaming to an unprecedented level of detail. In the 80s, games like Pac-man and Tetris ruled the roost, but looking back at them, they were highly simplistic compared to the kinds of games that are being released on next-generation consoles now.
Games like Fallout 4 and The Witcher 3 have provided gamers with hundreds of hours’ worth of gameplay, which is a credit to just how advanced and forward-thinking these developers are. What’s going to happen when the software for VR and AR reaches such awe-inspiring heights?
Knowing the speed with which technology is moving forward, it may not be out of the question to assume that shortly, gamers will be able to put on a virtual reality suit and physically enter the world of the game.
Pokémon Go has proved what is possible with this wonderful new technology, but it is a mere taste of what’s to come. These are truly exciting times in the world of gaming.
More News To Read
- Part Deux of Tesla’s Big Plan Could Cost Over $10 Billion to Implement
- Dark Web Set To Bump Up Security For Smart Homes
- “Future-Proof” Low Voltage Switchboards
- BMW Electric-car Battery Factory May Soon Be On Its Way To Thailand
- Looking For Something Different? Then How About Onak – The Origami Foldable Canoe