What the Virtual Future Holds for Online Games

Virtual reality is, without a doubt, the most exciting technology that has emerged – or rather re-emerged – in the new century. Thinking of it as an innovation reserved for the world of gaming would be a big mistake: virtual reality could revolutionize a lot of services available today, from navigation to communication, social interaction, and – of course – entertainment.

Virtual reality has the potential to offer a fully immersive alternative to many entertainment options currently only available through a screen: viewers could become part of the action in the new breed of movies and TV shows, virtually participate in quiz shows and contests, explore unseen realms, both real or imaginary, and interact with one another in ways we never would’ve thought possible. Oh, and play video games online in forms and environments we wouldn’t’ve thought of before.

Virtual reality is here in a big way.

Taking social games to the next level

Today’s social games are basically single-player games with online leaderboards and the possibility to ask for lives and other in-game items from Facebook friends. Real money casual games are even less social, though. The closest thing to social interaction at https://ca.redflushcasino.com/ is playing a multiplayer slot machine, where multiple Red Flush players spin their own reels and each player can see the wins of all others (up to 5 players at most).

The only social interaction Red Flush players can get – or will get if this feature ever gets implemented, is through the live dealer version of certain games. Even in this case, players will stay passive, watching the dealer deal the cards or spin the roulette wheel via video streaming. While the illusion of actually sitting at a gaming table is far from being complete, live dealer games are one step closer to the real thing – and virtual reality can bring Red Flush much closer to it once it becomes mainstream.

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The same goes for social games, and social networks in general: they can become much more social once they step into the virtual world.

‘Dragon Front’ shows how board games can take advantage of VR.

The board games of the future

Table and board games are exciting as they are, partly because of their stories but mostly because they can be played with or against a real life opponent within reach. With the help of virtual reality, board games and table games can go online, offering players a way to play their favorite games against opponents sometimes half a world away.

The games themselves may also benefit from going virtual, becoming more interactive and much more spectacular (just imagine what it would be like to play Zombicide in virtual reality, with hordes of the undead walking toward your character as you advance through the board).

Virtual reality is not a mainstream technology at this point but is will surely continue to spread, becoming accessible to a larger number of potential players. And that’s when we will start to notice the changes it brings to online entertainment.

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