Anyone who has followed the development of video game graphics will know that they have come a staggering distance over the last two decades. From games that could display only 4 colours, and render only a handful of pixels, to games that are so staggeringly detailed and believable in their design that a person can easily get lost in them.
It’s a logical development, given that video games are an industry firmly based around visual presentation. But, what is startling about the video game industry is how breathtakingly fast that development has happened. If drawing a comparison between the film industry, it would be like going from the original silent, black and white films, to modern blockbusters like the Lord of The Rings Franchise, in just twenty years, as opposed to 100 years.
The question that many are asking now is; where will video game graphics be in another 10 years? And, given how far they’ve come in the previous 10 years, one can only assume that the leap will be equally as dramatic. Or will it?
Industry Plateau Point
An industry such as video games has the potential to plateau, or reach a semi-peak point, just like the online gambling casino industry, or any other entertainment industry. Meaning that video game graphics may not advance at such a dramatic pace into the future. Sure, graphics have advanced in leaps and bounds up until this point, but perhaps they will not be advancing as quickly from here on out. Or, at least not as quickly as they have been. But why would this happen?
Taking a closer look, video games have, thus far, been pushed by their technological limits to advance, and advance quickly. One of the major restrictions for video games has been the technology they were based on. Or, to be more specific, games were not as good as developers wanted them to be, due to the fact that technology could not support the ultimate vision being chased. Recently, however, virtually any game envisioned can be created, with very little restrictions, if any.
in other words, why do graphics need to be better than they currently are?
Technology Off-Shoots
Instead of graphics getting better, perhaps future advancements will instead be focused on how the game themselves are experienced. Virtual reality technology has recently become a possibility, potentially taking games into a whole new era. Why simply look at games, when you can feel as if you are living inside a game?
Since game graphics may have reached a peak point, the only logical advancements that can take place may now be in how the games themselves are played. Virtual reality does not have better graphics, technically speaking, but the same graphics seen as if they are real is awe inspiring. Of course, given that virtual reality is still so young, there is still plenty of room for it to develop, and improve.
In conclusion, video game graphics will no doubt be better in 10 years time, but perhaps not as much improved as some are assuming. Instead, the real evolution may be in how the game’s themselves are played.