Online gaming has witnessed massive traction in recent times. From being an activity to pass time for children and teenagers to an actual income source for adults, online gaming has undergone a sea change in terms of the global outlook.
This boom can be attributed to two major factors – the democratizing effect of the internet and increasing availability of mobile phones in general and smartphones in particular. Every person with a smartphone and internet access has the opportunity to enter the world of gaming and enjoy the small pleasures of life.
Due to the increased focus on online gaming, tons of facts about it which were hitherto unknown are now coming to light, thanks to the probative nature of the world wide web. In this post, we shall look at some interesting facts about online gaming that you must know.
1. GTA V is the most expensive game ever created –
This is one fact which you will read in every post but that is because it is too important to ignore. Grand Theft Auto V (2013 version) cost a whopping $137 million approximately to create this game. What is even more interesting is that a further $128 million was spent on its marketing.
The popularity of online games can be gauged from this one fact alone – the developer of the game made huge profits as the game made more than $3 billion in the first three days of its launch.
2. Women players are catching up –
Like many other fields, online gaming was also considered a male bastion till not so long ago. The image of a teenage boy spending all his day in his room playing computer games was the quintessential image on the internet.
However, if research is to be believed, female gamers are on the rise. 41% of all gamers in the US in 2020 were women. In Asia too, the number ranged anywhere between 40-45%. While the motivations for gaming may be different across the globe, the interest is definitely growing.
3. Seniors are not far behind –
Apart from the gender bias, there is also an age bias when it comes to online gaming. Since it is considered to be a cool activity, it is presumed that only kids and young adults will be the ones pursuing it. This could not be further from the truth.
With the rise in online casino games and incentives like 400 casino bonus that attract adults to the world of online gaming, it has been seen that upto 30% of online gamers are of the age of 50 or above. Studies have suggested that playing certain games helps reduce the effects of aging on seniors.
4. South Korea and its Cinderella Law –
Yes, we all know that online gaming has its own pitfalls and addiction among children is a serious problem but did you know that at one point South Korea had used its Cinderella Law to prohibit underage players from gaming between 12 AM and 6 AM?
The objective behind the move was to ensure that children at least had a six-hour period that could be used for sleep. Even after talks of doing away with this law in 2021, there were news reports that gaming among children would still be regulated in some form or the other.
5. Online gaming is becoming a family activity –
The world is getting more lethargic. Physical activity among families is reducing. A lot of parents are taking heart in the fact that they do not have to take their child to soccer practice on weekends. Instead, a fun hour spent playing video games makes their child happier.
The pros and cons of online gaming versus physical games is a debate worth having but the trend among families preferring to spend more and more time indoors cannot be denied. At the end of the day, any time spent with family is good.
6. Virtual Reality (VR) is the future –
Science fiction movies have always fascinated children and adults alike. When gaming consoles attempted to bring this aspect of Virtual Reality to their homes, people embraced it with open arms.
It was already analyzed threadbare that even among online games, video-based games were preferred by the majority of gamers. Within video games, VR games are the new thing that everyone wants to try as it virtually transports you to a different place where you can play the game. The whole experience is definitely worth having.
The one thing that is both good and bad about online gaming is that it is available 24*7 as an activity. For those with good control over their behavior, this does not make much of a difference. But for children and adults with addictive behavior, attempts need to be made to regulate game time.