How the Internet Transformed Gaming

The gaming industry has been around since Tennis For Two, the first video game, debuted back in 1958, but it arguably didn’t really get going until the internet became ubiquitous.

And evidence for that can be found by looking at the video game industry’s revenues over the years. In 2005, when the internet wasn’t yet fully fledged, revenues hovered around the $60 billion mark; by 2022, it had skyrocketed to nearly $200 billion. 

Of course, that didn’t just happen because the internet was around. It happened because the internet provided a wealth of advantages that were conducive to the gamer’s experience, some of which we’ll outline below. And the most exciting part? We’ve only scratched the surface of what the internet can do for the gaming world, so there’s no telling what things will be like in the future.

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New Playing Experiences 

Multiplayer gameplay did exist in the pre-internet era, but you’d all have to physically be in the same room. And while that was a lot of fun when it happened, it didn’t happen that often — it’s difficult to organise to play games with adults when everyone’s so busy! The internet allowed for multiplayer play to become the norm. You can play with your friends online, which means no one needs to travel to someone else’s home. Plus, if your friends aren’t available, then there’ll be millions of other gamers you can play with. 

Reimagining Old Favourites 

One of the most underrated qualities of the internet is its ability to bring things into the modern area. We see that with everything, from old movies that are restored to newspaper clippings from centuries ago that are digitised and put on the internet for anyone to read.

The internet’s power to reimagine classic games has been incredible. Chess has been given a new lease of life thanks to the ability to learn and play online. Slot machines, too, have been given the internet treatment, with a near-endless number of online slots available to play, which have helped to reconceptualize what a ‘one-armed-bandit’ could be. The internet has also allowed for the preservation of traditional games that may have been lost to time, such as arcade games. Pong, Tetris, Pac-Man, and other vintage arcade games are all available online.

Fixing Bugs and Mod Options

In the olden days, if you bought a game and it had a bug, then you’d just have to deal with it. Even perfect games could suddenly become less-than-perfect if you scratched the disc.

The internet allows for perfect gameplay, every single time. For one thing, there are no disks, so there’s nothing to damage. Second, developers can quickly fix any bugs that users find. 

Many games also have mod options, which allow gamers to enjoy their favourite games in new, fresh ways. Some games have so many mods that you extend the playable time by many hours. 

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Digital Game Distribution

The shift to digital game distribution, in which users download games rather than buying a disk, has had a big impact on the gaming industry. For one thing, it’s made it easier for game developers to get their creations in front of an audience since they no longer need to work with a company that will manufacture and distribute the game. In any given year, some 10,000 games are released on Steam, and that just wouldn’t have been possible had the gaming world become so infused with the internet. 

Gaming on the Go

Finally, perhaps the biggest impact the internet has had on the gaming world comes in the shape of mobile gaming. This segment of the industry has ballooned in recent years, and is now the largest contributor to the overall gaming market (it accounts for 57% of video games revenue). It’s also allowed gamers to enjoy games on the move, which helps to make it a bigger part of their life. Now, gamers don’t have to wait until they’re home before playing; they can play on their commute.