If there’s one thing that Millennials and Gen Z members have in common, it’s their love of all things gaming-related. Millennials grew up during the video gaming boom in the 80s, for example, while Gen Zs have access to an even more diverse selection of games.
These demographics have helped drive significant growth across various gaming verticals. The global video game sector is expected to achieve a total value of $600.74 billion by 2030, while the iGaming market will generate projected revenues of $717.06bn within the same timeframe.
The development of cross-platform gaming has also played a key role in driving growth within these verticals. But what do we mean by this, and how does cross-play work across different types of gaming?
Cross-Platform Gaming – A Brief Explanation
Broadly speaking, the concept of cross-platform gaming, or cross-play, is built on software that operates seamlessly across different systems and devices. However, the practical application of cross-play will vary slightly from one gaming vertical to another.
For example, let’s say that you're a video game fan who enjoys playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III. You can run this on your PC via your Steam account, before teaming up with friends on a PS4 or XBOX and playing in multiplayer mode.
In the iGaming market, contemporary slots and table games are designed using the HTML5 programming language. This allows them to adapt seamlessly to different display dimensions, allowing for seamless gameplay across desktop, iOS, and Android devices. HTML5 games also offer instant gameplay and negate the need to download third-party software.
Overall, HTML5 games support over 95% of device types, with only significantly older handsets and smartphones being incompatible with the software. These games are also characterised by high-quality, smooth graphics, alongside full integration with tournament leaderboards, live dealer gameplay, and progressive jackpots.
Exploring the Different Types of Cross-Play
If we drill a little deeper into cross-play, we can see that there are different types of implementation within the various gaming verticals. We’ve broken these down in a little more detail below:
The Last Word
The gaming market continues to evolve at a rapid pace, with AI now able to render upscaled, refined and photorealistic graphics.
Although cross-play is a relatively old technological trend, it continues to play a pivotal role in the growth and widespread appeal of the global gaming marketplace. It has also had a positive impact in the iGaming space, with HTML5-powered games offering seamless gameplay across both desktop and mobile devices.
