The gaming industry is on its way out of several years of stagnation and into a new period of growth. At the same time, artificial intelligence is rapidly taking place in game development. This is according to a new report from the Boston Consulting Group (BCG).
According to the report, 55 percent of gamers play more now than six months ago, and the industry has once again gone into growth mode, according to a press release from the Boston Consulting Group.
AI is quickly taking over in game development
It is not only young players who contribute to the rise. The report shows that adult age groups are increasingly driving growth in the market. Among people over 60, over 40 percent play at least five hours a week, while more than half of those between 40 and 50 – often referred to as Generation X – play just as much.
BCG also points out that many adults introduce their children to gaming even before school age, which helps to build a wider and longer-term player base.
On the developer side, a marked technological shift is taking place. About half of all game studios now use artificial intelligence in the development process.
Over 7,000 games on the PC platform Steam already report AI integration. According to BCG, this makes game development both faster and cheaper, while also opening up new forms of game mechanics and content.
At the same time, the market for user-generated content (UGC) is growing strongly. Games like Fortnite and Roblox are expected to pay out around $1.5 billion to content creators this year.
According to the report, over 40 percent of players state that they engage more in user-generated content than the previous year.
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More price conscious players
Cloud gaming is also in the process of moving from niche to mass market. Six out of ten players have already tried cloud gaming, and 80 percent of these report a positive experience. BCG estimates that the market could grow from $1.4 billion today to over $18 billion before 2030.
At the same time, players are becoming more price conscious. Around 75 percent say price influences their purchase decisions, and many wait for offers before buying new games. According to BCG, this means that the industry must rethink launch models, subscription services and content packages in order to realize its growth potential.
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– Over the next five years, we expect an explosion of new game content and new players. Cloud gaming, user-generated content, AI and the opening of app stores will change how games are developed and distributed, says Ernesto Pagano, senior partner at BCG, in the press release.
He points out that users will make ever higher demands in the future.
– Players will expect more – fresher experiences, stronger communities and freedom to play across devices.
