The Future of Gaming: Closer than you Think...

It is interesting to see how much technology enables and hinders us. In the past year, we have seen tablets become the newest “it” gadget, 3D televisions without the need of glasses, and even cyber shot cameras with 3D capabilities.  We have seen the story of how one of the largest social networking sites began and we have mourned the passion of one of the greatest men in technological development and marketing.

There are certainly more possibilities for the expansion of gaming. The Louvre in France recently announced that they will soon be using the Nintendo 3DS as a tour guide. Nintendo will be providing 5,000 consoles, acting as the editor, designing custom content for the museum. This will allow visitors to pick custom itineraries to plan their visits, as well as GPS tracking to let them know where they are in the building. “No word yet on whether the guide will use the no-glasses-needed 3D visuals that the handheld is famous for, but with Nintendo at the helm it's likely to be featured somehow. According to AFP, the Louvre plans to roll out the 3DS tour guides in March, along with new smartphone and tablet apps for attendees around the same time.” (Fincher, Jonathan.)

CNBC posted an article in September detailing new tech toys for 2012.  Among the many were enhanced tablets, personal 3D viewers, slimmer laptops and cameras, as well as Sony’s Vita and Nintendo’s Wii U. Gaming is becoming more portable, but the sooner it becomes more accessible the better.

It is no secret that devices are becoming more mobile, whether its computing, cell phones, or games. Our technological advances influence these devices and with an audience wanting instant access to their email, social sites, and entertainment, it is no wonder that electronics are becoming slimmer and more portable. My prediction is that a streaming service for gaming through consoles is coming much sooner than others expect. Whether it is the plan that my thesis was based upon or someone else, I know it is possible, especially within the next 5 years. Even mobile gaming has exponentially increased in the past 2 years, which provides a greater opportunity to expand the video game market. 

 

Bakalar, Jeff. What will CES 2012 have in store for gaming? December 2011. Retrieved December 17, 2011.

Fincher, Jonathan. Louvre will use the Nintendo 3DS as a tour guide. December 2011. Retrieved December 16, 2011.

Tanaka, Wendy. The Hottest New Technologies of 2011. January 2011. Retrieved December 16, 2011.