Build Interactive Video Games With AR & VR Technology

The Market for AR and VR for Gaming is forecast to reach $11.0 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 18.5% from 2021 to 2026. The market is driven by the growing popularity and integration of AR and VR technologies in mobile phones and other wearable devices

The above statistic makes one thing very clear the gaming industry has seen tremendous growth over the past few years and predominantly smartphones are the major cause behind it. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that the industry owes its expansion to smartphones that have given users the flexibility to play anywhere and at any time. Augmented reality and Virtual reality are a user-focused technology that does amazing things and let people indulge in experiences that bring imagination to life. One can’t help but wonder about the experiences it provides its users to interact with the digital world by commingling the real world with the virtual.

There are a lot of big investments happening in these commercially feasible technological advances and the percentage for this is just expected to grow in the coming years. As regards, there are many reasons behind businesses showing strong confidence in Augmented reality and Virtual reality, a few of which we will discuss going forward. But for those of you who are new to this subject, let's first understand what these terms mean.

Augmented Reality & Virtual Reality

Many of you must have heard about the popular Nintendo-owned “Pokémon Go”, an Augmented Reality game that works by placing the Pokémon on a world map and allowing the player to control it to catch other Pokémon. A player starts from a specific location and uses their phone camera and GPS to see the Pokémon in the real world, find other Pokémon, and catch them. As the player moves in real life, so does the Pokémon in the game on your mobile screen. This interaction of the game and real life is what Augmented Reality is. When the digital world and the physical elements come together to form a synthetic environment.

However, Beat Saber by Beat Games is a great example of a Virtual reality rhythm game where the player is placed into a three-dimensional environment and the player has to slash blocks representing musical beats with the use of a pair of glowing sabers. The movement of the avatar in the game is controlled by the movement of the player’s body using VR motion controllers. This simulation of another world or reality through computer or sensory devices is Virtual reality.?

AR and VR Gives the player an indulging experience

We cannot neglect the fact that the use of AR and VR in gaming gives us quality games that are rich in graphics and offer precise controls to the players other than the immersive experiences it provide. AR and VR allow designers to pay attention to the intricate details of the game and them give the players an emotional and exceptional experience that stays with them and makes them want to return to the game. With improved game mechanics, VR and AR game development brings increased potential for unexampled motion and gesture. It allows gamers to interact with elements and game controls giving them flexibility and command. For a gamer, it is like feeling the wind in their hair or feeling the vibrations during fake explosions and gun flighting.

These innovations and technological advancements have been able to give gamers an immersive digital experience which earlier was not possible. It also allows the user to play in their avatar, and live the virtual experience in gaming by providing them with an alternative environment. These immersive experiences are influential, compelling, and entertaining. There is a synthetic environment that virtual reality game development creates for the users and somehow the physical movements of the user are also directly connected using sensor-equipped gloves, hand controllers, etc. with the computer via VR headsets so that the user’s feelings and experience are extremely engaging and immersive. And, these engaging games or content when introduced to the target market help in generating results through sales, consumer loyalty, and reach.

Forecasts project massive growth in both AR and VR headset sales in the coming years, with both technologies combined expected to sell over 26 million units per year by 2023.

The virtual industry is growing at a tremendous rate and the developers are working towards fulfilling the demands of the market that is to create applications that are affordable and go beyond entertainment. And so there is work being done to create cableless headsets with powerful processors that will allow users to view images in HD. The next few years might also see integration of AI and 5G into VR and AR shaping an advanced future for the gaming industry.