The gaming promise

The writer is Director of the Centre for Information and Communication Technology at IBA.

In today’s tech-driven world, video games are undoubtedly one of the largest consumed yet most influential mediums.

The value of the global gaming industry market size was about $151.06 billion back in 2019. It is estimated that the market size will grow at a 12.9 percent CAGR (Compound Annual Rate) from 2020 to 2027. Well, tech innovation and proliferation in both software and hardware have boosted the growth of the industry.

Up to now, the growth of internet programs and the easy access and availability of video games worldwide is refining. It has skyrocketed the gaming industry's growth prospects. Developers are constantly pushing and improving the tech limits for real-time video game graphics.

Besides, the rise in inclination from physical gaming to online gaming has motivated gamers to focus on hardware efficiency and compatibility. Over 2.5 billion gamers play online games worldwide.

Numerous multiplayer video games have gradually become more popular; experts anticipate this will continue for about eight more years. As a result, consumer gaming product spending has increased.

Tournaments of eSports are growing in popularity, and the increase of professional video gamers have boosted gaming accessories and software sales. Nevertheless, the gaming industry market still features high demand in several categories, such as corporate and educational institutes.

Adopting gaming educational tools could become crucial for cognitive learning. It is a popular concept that humanity has pursued for a long time. Over 1.5 billion IOS and over 3.75 billion Android users play games globally. They create an enormous gamers bazaar.

While the gaming industry gradually adjusts to digital options, experts say that it will become easier to generate closed-up strategies to peddle games since there will be steady access to granular data. But still, developers ought to collect users’ insights. They must identify retention issues and seek to set up monetization elements to attract more users and profits.

It is also worth mentioning that Cloud delivery might become the next big gaming disruptor. The platform looms to interrupt the traditional gaming markets while promising to set up a Netflix-style library for instant gaming access. In any case, the cloud gaming platform is more likely to become very competitive. Therefore, diversity will be crucial.

Henceforth, marketers must identify platforms through which they can engage with more gamers. Furthermore, they must research how to succeed in the markets they identify and combine various souks for better sales. For that reason, marketers in the gaming industry are working on accurately mapping users’ journey to amass various audience types.

It would be best for game marketers to understand the hitch of neglecting any key touchpoints to reach potential gamers. They must learn and strategize to engage users. These tactics will enable the gaming industry to tactically market products and generate more income.

Gaming marketers must efficiently develop their audience by adopting closed-loop tactics since the gaming industry is becoming entirely digital to align processes, users, and technology. Another strategy could be seeking help from advertisers, such as content marketers outside the gaming industry.

Video-game streaming is one of the great trends in the industry. In the past, no one would ever imagine that video-game streaming would generate income for both developers and individuals. For instance, PS4 games have recorded over 18.3 million units worldwide. On the other hand, Xbox has over 90 million users every month.

Currently, platforms such as Twitch allow professional video-game streaming. The company receives more than two billion live-stream viewers hourly. Twitch started back in 2011 to offer gamers a platform to stream games live on YouTube. Experts say that the stratagem resulted from the rapid growth in tech, which has facilitated virtual reality in gaming.

Another great gaming industry trend falls under its amazing gaming hardware. Its tech evolution has resulted in engaging gaming options with incredible characteristics and features. The advanced features demand powerful hardware to work well. As a result, gaming consoles are advanced.

However, computer programming skills are still crucial for developing and marketing games. Gaming developers must produce games with an interface that users will love and which appear conceivably realistic.

For that reason, most gaming companies have hired specialists to guide them through developing and marketing their video games. Countries like Pakistan, which is the fourth among the top freelancing countries globally, have tremendous potential to grow across the gaming industry. It is time Pakistani freelancers shifted their focus towards the gaming industry. This is how we can also improve our ranking in the freelancing world globally. Furthermore, foreign investors can also be encouraged to invest in Pakistan.

Freelancers can now work online as quality assurance testers. They can help game developers and designers explain first-hand user reviews about an upgrade or a new game. It would be best to mention that QA testers do not test the power supply or circuitry, or wiring of the gaming product. Their task is to test new features and review features moving forward.

Another great way to generate income from the gaming industry is through professional gaming. Professional gamers can now compete in competitions like the Intel Extreme Masters, the International Dota 2 Championship, and the Major League Gaming Circuit. These races provide a platform that can host and livestream gaming events. They also hire communities and scouts to find untapped players through the internet.

To earn in the gaming industry, it can be strategic to select a particular game and become an expert at it. This way, you can establish your online portfolio as a team player and a skilled player. Major eSport providers often register contesters worldwide.

A good starting point to earn from gaming can be by playing video games and sharing them through YouTube. Henceforth, you can make more cash working as a contact sponsor. To become a contact sponsor, you must gain many followers on major gamers’ interaction platforms.

Numerous platforms pay gamers in cryptocurrency or other electronic payment options. In any case, you must impress game developers first to win a productive contact sponsor job opportunity. Once you develop your portfolio, you can contact other brands to earn more.

The bottom line is that developing countries could create job opportunities for gaming. Countries like Pakistan should consider training their youth on how to benefit from skills such as graphic designing, UI designing, application development, web designing and development, etc through gaming. This strategy can help solve a considerable percentage of unemployment and can open up a large network of earning opportunities for the youth.

It would be best to set up programs that can improve society's mindset towards the gaming industry. Society should consider gaming as a productive industry that can earn more income for individuals who can start by exploring the easier methods of earning in the industry before diversifying to other alternatives.

Marketing is an independent slice of the gaming industry that could generate more income. It is an easy way to invest in the gaming industry and earn from it. All in all, developing a positive mindset towards the gaming industry will be the key to success.

Above all, the private sector must also consider leveraging the benefits of this industry and come up with the online gaming product that can be used to solve different problems faced by society. The good news is that the industry is thriving, and research shows that it could generate even more income in the future.

People are now earning from the gaming industry as Add On experts who add crucial Plugins to gaming software, gamers who develop the games, and users who showcase their skills. To sum it all up, gaming capacity-building in 2021 is promising.

Email: imran.batada@gmail.com

Twitter: @imranbatada