Online games have been around for almost half a century. In fact, its origins predate the Internet. From humble beginnings, online gaming has grown into a huge multi-billion dollar industry, appealing to people all over the world, regardless of background, ethnicity, or purchasing power.
To truly understand why it has become so popular, we take a look at the origins of the online gaming industry and break down everything you need to know.
ARPANET: It all started
The first ever online game title was a text-based fantasy game born at the University of Essex in England. The game was created in 1980 by his students at the same university and played among students using his ARPANET network available on campus.
The game is called MUD (short for Multi-User Dungeon) and is widely known as the first online game. This title has paved the way for the creation of many other games over time.
The eternal relationship between online games and casinos
Since the introduction of online casinos, online gaming and gambling have gone hand in hand. According to research by The Casino Wizard, over 1.6 billion people participate in online gambling or gambling at least once a year. After the establishment of an online lottery site run by the Liechtenstein government, hundreds of thousands of online gambling venues began popping up around the world.
Unlike games such as MMOs and titles that feature a virtual economy that allows players to exchange in-game items and currency for real money, online casinos provide real-life games played by gamblers in an environment intended to replicate. It focused solely on providing players with luck-based games that allowed them to win money. Land-based casino experience.
Casino games in a nutshell
Microgaming, one of the world’s largest developers of online casino games, introduced the first iGaming software in 1994. Poker sites began to emerge in 1998 after the founding of Planet Poker, and online casinos cemented their place in the online gambling industry throughout his 2000s. .
The industry started out focused on providing online gambling opportunities to PC users, but the popularity of smartphones shifted the balance of scale in the mid-2010s. Today, more people gamble on mobile phones than on computers. The modern iGaming industry is worth a staggering $40 billion annually.
The rise of the MMO genre
MMOs, also known as Massive Multiplayer Online games, tick all the right boxes when it comes to player expectations. It allows users to embody their created characters, join other users to complete quests, join guilds, and fight epic battles. It has led to the development of some of the most popular titles of all time.
In fact, MUD is the predecessor to legendary games like Blizzard’s World of Warcraft and Lineage, one of the most popular Asian games of all time.
The impact of the virtual economy on online gaming
The relevance of online games has led to the rise of the virtual economy. Basically, online games (especially his MMOs) have become so popular that players are willing to buy in-game goodies out of their own pocket, giving them an edge over others. I made it.
Games like World of Warcraft and Counter-Strike GO have enabled the virtual economy to thrive. Some developers have chosen to ban in-game transactions based on real currency, while others have adjusted their games to allow players to transact in a safer environment. , with the rise of item stores and third-party websites that help players buy and sell game merchandise.
Thus, players with high-level accounts and access to valuable items could make big bucks just by playing video games long before streaming and YouTube became big. I was.
The growth of the virtual economy is integral to the popularity of online gaming, and many companies are focusing on ‘gold farming’. This is the activity of hoarding gold in a particular game (usually done by players living in countries with weaker economies). Then sell for profit in markets such as South Korea, Western Europe, or North America.
Verdict – Will Online Gaming Remain Relevant?
People crave entertainment and value competitiveness. In short, online gaming isn’t going anywhere unless the world changes very dramatically. Playing online games is fun and addictive, and with new games being introduced constantly, it’s easy to predict that the industry will continue to boom in the years to come.
If you choose to play games that require investment out of your own pocket, such as those found in online casinos, remember that moderation is key to long-term entertainment and mental well-being. The same applies to MMOs and competitive online games. It’s important to know when to stop and not allow negative emotions to dominate you.
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