Jul 17, 01:38 AM

Global Gaming

Globalization is now on turbo mode, now that information technology is at a point that has made distance meaningless. In many different industries, it has already changed everything. Gaming, however, has remained more or less the same. While there have been some changes, the games industry pretty much has the same games, same players, and the same countries. It won’t be like this forever. Change is coming.

What will a globalized gaming look like?

Distributed Power
I see a world where video game development is not longer concentrated in the highest income areas, but instead distributed all over the world. Today, it is largely Japan, USA, Europe. In the future? China, India, Brazil, Eastern Europe – many new players will arise, who have a different perspective and different view of gaming.

New games, new markets
I see a world where many new different types and genres of games are being created, to meet the tastes and preferences of new gaming markets all around the world. As the developing countries become more involved in the global marketplace and millions of new middle class are created, the market will grow and change accordingly.

The Death of Consoles
I see a world where the PC dominates the games market. It is the only open platform, the platform where anyone can develop great games, no matter what their funding, location, or connections. It is the most affordable, most accessible, and most versatile platform. Not everyone will have a Wii but everyone will have a PC.

And so globalization has many important implications for this industry. Will the current players adapt, or continue with their old ways, to be pushed out by those who are newer, more innovative, more agile, and more aware?

-Jon
- permalink

commenting closed for this article