Competitive gaming was the first industry to fully capitalize on game development technologies. Sure there is a vast potential pool of benefits of gaming. However, the esports industry was the one to recognize its prospective build on the foundation of entertainment. Sure majority of people prefer single-story-based gameplay but multiplayer gaming too did catch up. In 2022, the global eSports market was at 1.64 billion U.S. dollars, but later it saw a 2.0 billion U.S. dollar growth in 2023. Now this was a signal for every game development company, they recognized the amazing potential of esports games.
By 2025 esports global viewership count is expected to reach 318 million. More views lead to high stake tournaments with a boatload of money. Take Riyadh Masters for example, they are organizing one of the biggest esports World Cup tournaments. They also understood how important it is to leverage the boost offered by the video gaming industry. By the way, the prize money is a whopping 60 million dollars! However, it is also essential to notice that to keep going and maintain a proper view count as well as player interest bringing something fresh to the scene is crucial. Innovations and trends became a necessity. So let’s discuss what you can expect from the esports game development industry in 2024.
What is eSports Game Development?
When a developer ideates the aspects to make a game appealing for competitive games, there are two factors to focus on. One the game must have a sufficiently high skill-ceiling and another ability to execute. Ignoring such significant aspects and not integrating them leads to the downfall of your game. The game simply won’t sustain.
Such pivotal aspects directly hit the interest points of gamers. It satisfies their hunger for competition. So in esports game development from the beginning itself, you need to ideate accordingly.
However, let’s clearly understand esports game development. Bifurcating the technical ecosystem from the perspective of the game developer includes:
- A game must have a global competitive leaderboard for users. On the other hand it should be backed by a robust data analytic dashboard for the digital distributor.
- The game will have stream-ready features and functionalities. Offering a fair and square competition. This means integrating anti-cheat features and APIs. For example a behavior score, it also helps to make the community less toxic.
- Last but not least a game is never complete. Constant innovation is the first rule of the competitive gaming industry. Hence knowing about and understanding trends is also an integral part of esports game development. So let's jump back to our trends.
Top Mind-Blowing Trends Empowered by Modern Tech
After exploring a plethora of domains, we have considered two technologies, a gaming method, and two strategies. The idea is pretty simple. We wanted to cover every phase of the esports game development process. As there is a wide range of expertise involved, the information seeks to educate as many experts as it can.
The AR & VR Revolution
Even though Apple Vision Pro was not able to commercially make a benchmark, it opened doors to possibility. People were hooked by what augmented reality and virtual reality can do. The gaming industry is in its phase of utilizing such technology, hence AR and VR game development services have experienced a tremendous boost.
Even the stats speak for the rise of AR VR as the market is projected to generate 40.4 billion US dollars. Leveraging the art of immersive storytelling and engaging visuals the technology is proven to be the correct way.
The user penetration rate is reaching close to 52.8%. This talks a lot about how users are responding to these innovative add-ons to the competitive scene. A new platform for competitive players to enhance their skills and continue winning.
Consumers are spending more on AR VR hardware and ecosystem. The spending will reach 50.9 billion US dollars in 2026. They are too ready to change their viewing experience through integrating AR VR.
Did you know?
There is a genre of AR VR games that has been taking over the internet. Serious AR VR based games are great learning platforms and exceptional stages to prove one’s advanced skills. Inspired by real-life events, experiences, and exciting possibilities, these games are here to make their mark.
Real Life Examples
Currently the esports game developers are exploring two constructable programs for AR VR competitive games. One being industry-related skills and the other being real-life events. Games are designed keeping high-level Industrial skills in mind. You get to play a key role like a doctor, engineer, civil servant, etc in a city simulator game.
Real life events simulations are designed considering the key aspects that changed the course of history. These simulations test one's skills and knowledge too. Both the subgenre of AR VR games have now become a trending domain in competitive sports. InMindVR is an industrial skill and Titanic VR is a real-life event inspired game ready for competitive sports.
AI
Artificial Intelligence has helped game development services to break traditional boundaries. It was merely used as tool for designing NPCs in non-competitive gaming, but soon due to hardware enhancement its functionalities reached the eSports scene too. There are three main areas where AI has excelled to elevate the competitive gaming experience.
- Anti-cheating software app: The goal is here to maintain a fair gameplay environment for esports tournaments. Climbing the leaderboard and making it to the top teams can be tough. Players often use cheat codes to bend the rules. But that is injustice for other players who worked hard on honing their skills. Hence an AI-based cheat detection program is integrated into the game and servers itself. For example Valve Anti-Cheat/en.
- AI assistance and Coach: AI makes use of data sets. Filtered and noise-free data sets of players make AI an amazing tool to help them excel and boost their performance levels. Such data sets are often fed to AI-enabled coaches and assistants. They help by building a training simulation gaming environment. These simulations too have AI-powered NPCs and assistance helping esports players to practice rigorously.
- GenAI for World asset building: Generative AI tools are catalytic enablers for game designers and developers. Open-world gaming is becoming more famous and gaining the attention of users. It has become evident for the gaming industry to keep bringing updated world maps to engage more users every year with new tournaments. GenAI is one of the best game development solutions for such major transformative encounters.
Sustainable Game Development
Gaming has been proven an industry that can benefit numerous other industries. Despite the perks, experts are discovering its environmental impact. Even the game development companies agree with the claim. From the development phase to play, there are numerous aspects to consider that affect our environment. The life cycle involves energy utilization, assets, cloud tech, and ethical gaming as crucial aspects. Our effort should focus on such key aspects and try to negate the impact in every way possible.
- Efficient Resource Utilization: During the game development phase, vast amounts of resources are used. It involved engines, codes, and technologies like AR VR, AI, and much more. Efficient coding practices and minimizing the energy utilization at the user end is one of the sustainable practices.
- The benefit of Cloud gaming: Cloud gaming has the ability to eliminate such practices too. As it uses a centralized processing power. These can be optimized to get us one step closer to sustainable game development.
- Ethical Gaming: Games are secondarily used to educate people. If physical sports are used to promote health and fitness, exports can also promote mental fitness. It has to help users improve social skills, enhance mechanical skills, and elevate manual dexterity.
Bonus: 5 Trending Game Genres that Have Potential for Esports
AR Collect Games
- Location-based games or resource management games are often considered a sub-genre of a broader game category.
- In this genre, you collect things from a specific location. There are hurdles and obstacles, but the rewards are quite amazing.
- AR VR Technologies can completely change the way we play such games. The virtual objects can be a hidden world and through clues and hints, one can reach those locations. Additionally, if there is a multiplayer mode this can turn into a mega AR gaming event just like the Pokemon Go game.
Soulslike:
- SoulsLike games can be distinguished by the way they are designed. Their appealing characteristics include demonic characters, outworld destroyers, dark and bleak atmospheres, etc.
- The storytelling is heavily dependent on the environment and levels are designed by interconnected labyrinths. Percentage if we assume it incorporates 70% of RPG elements.
- Since it incorporates RPG elements, asynchronous multiplayer gaming is possible too. Now, a prolonged esports tournament can be organized. In each level your co-op will leave clues, hints, and equipment for you to continue the fighting. An interesting arrangement but a very unique experience.
VR Loot Shooter
- Action role playing games with the sole purpose of destroying and collecting. Those collected items help you upgrade your weapon and advance into tough terrains.
- Using a 360 degree rotating treadmill rig, those looter shooter games can be played in VR too. Since the concept is simply collect and destroy, integrating VR becomes convenient.
- Playing Shooter Looter games with friends and for competition just enhances the fun tenfold. Expand the map, expand it, and add a leaderboard consisting of 100 players you got a VR looter shooter game.
Rouguelites
- The action based game genre is similar to rogue-like, but apparently, it does not contain all the elements. The perma-death does not let you lose your progress. Game length is finite, and combat style is particularly fixed.
- AR VR roguelike games can consist of wave levels, power upgrades, and a distinctive path builder for the main character.
- Competitive AR VR rouge-elites can have all the characteristics but may require a blend of roguelike game mechanics. This might not surprise you as there are many similarities between the two.
Competitive Deck Building
- Deck-building games are strategic card or board games. Here you are supposed to form a collection of cards that have a higher level of energy compared to your opponent.
- One can integrate AR VR technologies to build a platform for playing such types of games. An AR and VR deck building will consist of a virtual or augmented room. Every feature will enhance the user experience. They will get to enjoy the thrill of competing to the fullest.
- Deck-building games have so many character groups to explore. There are Pokemon, Marvel characters, beasts, and even customizable sets too.
Conclusion
To thrive and keep exceeding users; expectations of the esports game development industry need to adopt innovative paths. Every path sure has hurdles and concerns but the effort should not cease. There are two big reasons to focus on AR VR technology more compared to AI. The first one is the technology is nearer to believable upgrades and the second one is AI is still a pretty gray area for everyone.
Exploring these trends we realized the possibilities the gaming industry holds. Beyond entertainment, it has the power to educate and develop skills. However, to entertain while meeting someone’s expectations is a tough challenge. However, partnering with an expert game development company that has the knowledge of AR VR can eliminate the complexities you may face. Keeping up with the trends and marketing insights they are ready to deliver you the best esports games for your users.
