Copyright: Shao-Chun Wang
Streaming technology has made a big difference to many of our home entertainment options in the last few years. From being able to watch the latest TV shows and movies to having our favorite music at our fingertips, this has meant far more flexibility for us. But what has it meant for the gaming industry?
Live streaming has reached casinos
A part of the gaming industry where live streaming is causing a revolution is for casino sites. These sites used to be filled solely with virtual tables where computer-generated roulette and card games were carried out. It was a pretty exciting breakthrough when the first online casinos appeared at the start of the century, but they looked very different from land casinos.
Now, the top game developers use streaming technology to present the action in a way that more closely resembles the action we are used to seeing in casinos. In this case, the action comes from either a land casino or a studio designed to re-create the look of one. A human dealer spins the roulette wheel or gives out the cards live on the screen.
The most popular games, such as roulette, blackjack and baccarat, are available in this format, while other games involve the dealer or host spinning a lucky wheel or throwing dice. The player can sometimes interact with the dealer, or simply listen to them describe the action. Some games have more than one dealer, ensuring a livelier setup with jokes and entertaining chat.
How has this changed the online casino industry?
It is clear that the online casino industry has changed massively in recent years, and the switch to live-streamed games is one of the most noticeable ways this has happened. These games are likely to appeal to anyone who is looking for an authentic casino atmosphere with a human touch.
This means that there are now more ways of playing casino games than ever before, giving each player the chance to find exactly what they are after when they join up. Some casinos try to cover the full breadth of games, while others have decided to specialize in live games or computer-generated versions.
For other players, slots remain the best part of any casino and by using NJ online casinos bonus codes, you can even gain some free coins to use with no deposit needed.
This increased diversity has helped more newcomers to find the kind of casino experience that appeals to them. As a result, playing games in a casino is no longer restricted to a certain type of player, as it has now opened up for many other types of person.
The rise of video game steamers on Twitch
The massive popularity of video game live streamers makes it easy to believe that this format has been around forever. Yet, that isn’t the case at all. The first-ever live stream on the internet was said to be a garage band’s concert way back in 1993, but it took a few more years for it to become mainstream.
It was the arrival of Twitch in 2011 that brought live-streaming of video games to millions of people. Within a couple of years, it had close to 50 million unique viewers and was soon one of the most popular websites on the internet. By 2015, viewership rates had rocketed to 100 million per month.
The average number of concurrent Twitch viewers on the platform has risen to over 1.4m by 2020. The most popular Twitch streamers include Ninja, who had a massive 16.7 million followers at the time of writing. Next comes Tfue, with more than 10 million followers.
Some of the most popular Twitchers are renowned for the skill at the games they play, while others add humor to make it more of an entertaining watch. They are now among the most recognizable celebrities for some people, but completely unknown to others. This shows the diversity that now exists in the entertainment world, with streaming playing a big part in it.
How this has changed the gaming landscape?
How has easy access to the live stream of other players changed video games? For a start, it has introduced a new language to the world, as everyday players pick up on the words and phrases that their favorite Twitch streamers use as they play.
It has also made it easier for players to learn about new games and to pick up useful tips. Finding a strategy that works for a certain game is now a lot easier than it ever was before, as you can watch someone use it in real-time and see how it works out for them.
Also, there is no longer any need to buy a new game without knowing what it is about. We can watch for as long as we want to see what it is like, how difficult it is to progress and all the other important information that we used to have to guess or rely on written reviews for.
There is also the idea that any gamer can now become rich and famous if they are good enough. Gaming is no longer something to carry out alone, as you can share it with the world and possibly even make a lucrative career out of it.
Of course, it also means that some people are happier watching others play games than play themselves. This could mean the creation of a new generation of gamers who view it as being more like watching a TV show than anything else, which could lead to Twitch streamers focusing even more on the entertainment aspect.
What does the future hold?
It seems that live streaming is here to stay, both in video gaming and in the casino industry. The growing popularity of this method of playing or of watching other people play means that we should see even more options pop up in the future, regardless of whether there are additional advances in technology.
