The Rise of Interactive Play: From Competitive eSports to Casual Gaming Experiences

Competition has been a part of the gaming industry since its very inception. The now long-forgotten arcades were consistent in providing a two player mode for anybody who wanted to test their skills against friends or fellow visitors. But as time passed the competitive side of gaming grew more important than ever before.

Competition is not just a feature of the gaming market today. It is integral for many gamers who’ve pursued careers in professional gaming. The eSports movement has grown to unprecedented levels. Many are even making the argument that competitive video games should become part of the Olympics. The success of eSports has shone a light on another aspect of games that many often forget about.

The Interactive Side of the Gaming Market

Video games were not always identified with a bustling social life. Gamers were seen as outsiders with little or no friends for a long time. The reputation garnered has never been earned. We talked about the arcades before. These were large playrooms where people of all ages would come to play games together. Social interaction was a necessity of playing games.

One could say that gaming has been a social activity long before it went digital. Board games like Dungeons and Dragons and Monopoly rely on social interaction and building a relationship. Even casinos are an incredibly social environment. The recent success of online casinos might seem to contradict that. But even Casino Days for Canadian players has a live gaming section where players can chat with one another. Interactive play has always been a feature of gaming.

That interactive side of the hobby has truly come to light in the realm of eSports. Professional players rarely act alone. They are a part of a bigger team; one that must navigate the map and come up with a plan that plays to each member’s strength. Communication is the key to winning in eSports. More people are seeing that as these events are growing more popular. Interaction between players is not the only kind that exists in gaming.

The Immersive Aspect of Interactive Play

Video games are in a unique position as a medium. They are capable of both telling a story and engaging the viewer. Film and literature are both passive forms of entertainment. The customer sits and consumes the story, internalizing its messages. But in gaming the player is not just absorbing the plot. They are living the plot. That interactive element has always helped to create a stronger bond between gamers and their favorite titles.

Plenty of people view the “branching narrative” trope as a feature of modern game design. But multi-user dungeon games can be traced all the way back to the 70s. These games allowed the user to interact with the pre-written narrative and make some difficult choices along the way. The choices they made would alter the game’s ending for better or worse. MUDs may not have been as exciting as something like BioShock or Mass Effect. But they certainly paved the way for these titles to gain immense success today.

The interactive side of gaming has always shone in the roleplaying game genre. The Dragon Age series is particularly noteworthy for its use of player interaction in changing the narrative. The player’s decisions impact which NPCs join and which abandon the core team. Their choices can even affect the smaller scale aspects of the story. Romance is not a key element in Dragon Age. But every player can recall exactly who their first romance choice was when discussing the franchise. It is because these small interactions make the series feel less like a game, and more like an experience.

Streaming and the Age of Interaction

Interactive play is not just about enhancing the individual gaming experience. It is also about building a stronger gaming community. We live in an era when gaming is more popular than it ever has been. It is not unfair to say that the hobby has gone mainstream; from the success of mobile gaming to the growing popularity of eSports. Some may wonder how this Golden Age of games came about. Few will be shocked that streaming had a lot to do with it.

There is no denying that streaming services played a big role in the success of the gaming market. The new tech lets us to watch all of the latest and most anticipated matches. Live chats accompany the streams and give viewers a platform to share their opinions on the players and teams that are competing for the title. The discussions in these chats are mostly civil and quite friendly thanks to the wonders of moderation.

But streaming is about much more than just enjoying professional events at your convenience. Casual and pro gamers can now launch a career on sites like YouTube and Twitch. Streaming in front of an audience can be jarring and even terrifying. But those who have the capacity for it can build a pretty great career as gaming commentators. The best part of the job is creating a loyal and friendly community that is willing to tune in and watch your latest endeavors into the biggest game titles.

The Future of Interactive Play

The digital age has made it so many of us take modern conveniences for granted. We don’t often think about the wonders of modern technology because we are too busy pondering what may come next. Gamers are not exempt from this kind of thinking. The good news is that many of us have a lot to look forward to. The growing capacity of virtual reality is one aspect of gaming that many might be thrilled to see come to fruition.

We understand that many are not happy with the direction VR games are going. A lot of them have been underwhelming or just downright bad. But it is also true that the technology has come a long way. Deadpool VR has been met with and overwhelmingly positive response. The graphics look spectacular and the gameplay has certainly been improved upon from earlier VR releases. The growing capacity of the technology means that the future of gaming might lie in a greater interactive experience than many could have possibly even imagined.