Gaming is, and has been for some time, a hot subject. With the industry worth billions of dollars and attracting people from across the world, there are as many types of gamers as there are types of games. That said, some more underground trends are getting certain gaming subcultures very excited. Today, let’s look at five of them.
No KYC crypto casinos
It might not come as any surprise to find out that Know Your Customer (KYC) checks are pretty unpopular in the gambling community, especially among established players and people who want to use cryptocurrency to place their bets. So, it is perhaps inevitable that no-KYC crypto casinos are in something of a boom period. A combination of worries about customer privacy, a desire to avoid some national gambling restrictions, and ever-growing crypto adoption has seen more and more people enter their virtual doors. With their emphasis on faster onboarding and quicker withdrawals than traditional gambling platforms, decentralised casinos are a hot topic, and we’re waiting to see if and when they will break out from the underground.
Skill for stake gaming
You may well like the idea of winning some money (who doesn’t), but you might prefer to show your strength in a game of skill rather than test your luck in a game of chance. If so, then you’ll want to know a bit more about skill for stake games. With anything from chess to checkers to poker to puzzles online, you can wager some money, whether fiat or crypto, against other players. Rather than worry about the luck of the draw, you can use your skill and expertise to win games. With decentralised player vs player arenas popping up online, you can find someone to take you on for a prize. And with smart contracts helping keep things honest, they’re keeping on growing.
Automated AI games
If you’ve ever gone on a Twitch stream or watched a Let’s Play video on YouTube, you’ll know that watching people play games is a lot of fun. But what about watching no one play a game? It might sound a bit strange, but some people enjoy watching automated, AI-based games online. The games, which could be described as being somewhat similar to The Sims and that sort of thing, also allow their creators to make some money, whether that’s by offering a tipping service or even letting people place bets on what happens next. It sounds like something that shouldn’t be enthralling, but it is, and it’s on the rise.
AI worlds and characters
Procedural generation and so-called radiant quests have been a thing in gaming for a while. Worlds that create themselves as the player finds them and missions that auto-generate are pretty commonplace. What is changing things, however, is the growth of artificial intelligence. AI can help create worlds and characters that respond spontaneously to what you, the player, are doing. And it isn’t just small, independent games that are doing it either. With some big names getting independent AI-based mods, we think that it is only a matter of time before some of the bigger gaming studios get in on the action.
Treasure hunts with real prizes
Imagine if you could hunt for treasure using your mobile phone, but pick up some real-life rewards at the same time. Well, the upcoming trend in augmented reality gaming could let you do just that. If you have ever played Pokemon Go, it is a little bit like that. In some cases, you might go to a certain location to place a bet on something. In other cases, you could be sent on a kind of real-time scavenger hunt with a prize going to the person who solves the treasure map first. Using a combination of GPS and AR, these games are still pretty new, but they are getting more fans by the day, and it’ll be interesting to see if and when they will cross over into the mainstream world of gaming.
So there you have it. Whether it’s casinos that don’t have KYC checks, playing games of skill against other people online, new kinds of treasure hunts, or ways in which AI can change gaming, those are five of the year’s hottest underground gaming trends. Let’s see which ones make it to the mainstream.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is solely the author’s opinion and not investment advice – it is provided for educational purposes only. By using this, you agree that the information does not constitute any investment or financial instructions. Do conduct your own research and reach out to financial advisors before making any investment decisions.
