In a world where 3D movie experience and 5G connectivity are commonplace, virtual reality or VR has gradually become integrated into our daily lives. Retro console games are old news for gamers who prefer to slip into an alternative universe where they can immerse themselves completely in virtual reality.  

The scope of such games is vast and this industry is breaking boundaries and improving with each new instalment such as Star Wars: Squadrons, Ghostrunner and more. Many people get extremely excited about VR gaming as it is highly engaging and immersive, creating an extraordinary experience for gamers.

All this would not be possible without technological advancements which are giving gamers new reasons to rejoice. The transformative journey that went from classic PlayStation to immersive reality gaming on Xbox is impressive, as is the way technology has successfully created a virtual world that feels so real. 

The inception of A.I. in gaming 

Augmented reality gaming has become immensely popular globally and has completely changed the gaming landscape. Every gamer seeks a VR immersive experience which momentarily makes them feel like they are part of a different reality. It allows one to slip into a character and creates what is called an increased absorption experience resulting in intense emotions. 

Artificial intelligence in gaming started long back with the computerised game Nim published in 1952. Subsequently, in 1997 chess world champion Garry Kasparov was defeated by an A.I. Deep Blue who could make nearly 200 million moves on the board.

The advent of arcade games also focused on the idea of A.I. and later the new game genres touched upon formal A.I. tools. Games that emerged later such as Creatures made use of more sophisticated A.I. All of these advances laid the groundwork for current immersive experience technology. 

Virtual reality and augmented reality 

We often use the term VR gaming or augmented reality gaming interchangeably but while these two technologies share common traits, they are different in many ways. VR is limited to a computer-generated environment where everything like movie scenes and objects look life-like. While gaming, this projection is induced through headsets or helmets. Some of the current most popular virtual reality games are Hitman3, Jurassic World: Aftermath and Star Wars: Squadrons. 

While VR through headsets creates an artificial world in which we can immerse ourselves, AR on the other hand uses our reality as a framework to bring objects, images and other artificially placed things into our real environment. You don’t have to necessarily wear a headset to experience augmented reality. One of the finest examples of AR games is Pokemon Go. Other non-gaming examples include Google Glass. 

Often AR and VR are mixed to create a reality which merges physical and digital so seamlessly that they are hard to distinguish. When PGA Tour Fans got to experience a 3D golf course model and use HoloLens to strategise, it was an example of mixed reality. 

The thrill of an immersive experience 

Virtual reality breaks the barrier between the virtual and the physical and immerses one completely in the gaming world. A player playing such a game will feel like they are physically dodging bullets or falling from height. The chance to transcend the limitations of the physical world through a make-believe reality is what makes immersive tech so captivating. 

As of 2020, the global VR gaming market is worth USD 6.26 billion and developers are continually working on creating more immersive gaming for customers. The sheer thrill that VR gaming brings is unparalleled and it has become the benchmark that future games will be compared to.

As new avenues open up for game developers we can expect a lot more innovation in this sector. Though the good news is that the gaming experience will become all the more exciting in the near future, as the potential of immersive technology is ascertained further. 

Does a career in designing games sound incredible to you? Check out the Game Design, Bachelor of Arts (BA) offered by the University of Europe for Applied Sciences (UE). The programme covers all the essential technical, creative and conceptual aspects of designing which will help bring your personal expression to your work.

Students will also gain a chance to intern at leading companies like InnoGames, Verband der deutschen Games and more while studying at University of Europe for Applied Sciences (UE).

FAQs 

Is it a good career move to join the German gaming industry? 

For Germans, gaming is both entertainment and business. The nation has a robust infrastructure for gaming which is supported by federal funding of nearly €50 million annually. Hamburg, where one UE campus is based, is a hub of gaming fans, while Cologne hosts the huge gaming show – Gamescom. Additionally, the country supports game developers fully and being a tech leader, it is no surprise that it enables the growth of the gaming industry in every way. 

Do I have to learn German to enrol at UE Germany?

UE Germany has two campuses – one at Berlin and the other at Hamburg. The Berlin campus offers BA in Game Design with English as the language of instruction while Hamburg offers the same course in German.