The future of gaming is now

by Kyle Orland { Jan 2nd 2007 at 11:30AM }

With the constant march of progress in technology and computer design, it can be hard to appreciate just how far video gaming has come in a relatively short period of time. Now that we're seven years past what was once considered the standard-bearer year of "the future," it's amusing to look back at what was once considered "the future of gaming."

The predictions from 1982's Usborne Guide to Computer and Video Games actually turned out to be relatively prescient, even if some of them took a little longer than expected to come to pass. From our lofty perch of the future, we can easily "reconstruct detailed pictures of, say, the battle of Waterloo" or "challenge someone hundreds of miles away to a game" or play handheld games "in full colour... as detailed and realistic as the pictures for a TV programme today." Remember, these were things that were totally unheard of back in the distant past of 1982... heck, things like being "able to control each member of your team individually" in a sports game seemed lofty back then.

Still, not all of Usborne's predictions came to pass. Adventure gamers still don't tend to use "a board and counters to plan and keep track of moves" (though they do often use complex guides) and we have yet to see many games that "take place all around you in a special games cubicle... [with] laser lighting and quadraphonic sound."

But hey, there's still time. Given how far we've come in the last quarter century, what do you think gaming will look like as we ring in the far off future year of 2032?

[Picture from the excellent Sheldon Comics. Thanks Jonah Falcon.]

Tags: future, games, progress, technology

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

pete @ Jan 2nd 2007 11:44AM

2032... by then world world III would be in its 6th year and desease and famine run ranpid, video games, there will be no video games

Vynn @ Jan 2nd 2007 11:44AM

Thankfully, I already get to "game" in one of these "special game cubicles"... =P

http://vis.duke.edu/Facilities/visroom/visualization_room.html

Bennyishere @ Jan 2nd 2007 12:18PM

I'm thinking we'll be seeing more and more technical advances with graphics and so on, and that's pretty much where the focus is. However, motion-sensing and such will be the next standard. Gates might hate it, but MS has no choice but to include mo-sensing with the next Xbox.

In 2032 gaming will be bigger than movies (like Halo 2 sales were). There's little doubt about that.

32_Footsteps @ Jan 2nd 2007 11:53AM

Whoa... predicting gaming in 25 years? A heady task...

First off, some company that does little to nothing but exists right now will be a heavy player in the video game industry.

Apple will not get into video gaming. However, rumors of Apple entering the console or handheld market will erupt roughly every six months for the next 25 years.

I think we'll see a really huge merger... even bigger than when Square and Enix merged. I'm thinking along the lines (though not necessarily this particular one) of a Nintendo-Sega merger.

For games themselves, I predict that we'll have some sort of totally immersive MMO, involving something like a headset to totally cut you off from the world. At least 10 children will die when their parents ignore them to play such a game.

I think we'll also start seeing subdermal implants that will allow you to control games via muscle movement. We'll even see them such that the severely arthritic can still get their game on.

We'll still have format wars, which will be really ridiculous considering that over half of the 10 TB discs will be filled with junk data.

And finally, Duke Nukem Forever will still be "in development".

J.Goodwin @ Jan 2nd 2007 11:55AM

Yeah, the cubicle gaming thing came and went pretty much. The guys who developed it are now FASA Studio at MGS.

I guess it lives on though.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BattleTech_Centers
http://www.virtualworld.com/

CJC @ Jan 2nd 2007 12:14PM

October 1st, 1997... The END DAY. A savage war engulfs the world and Civilization is destroyed...

In an ironic twist, in 25 years, 35 years after that prediction... the World really WILL be destroyed.

Jason @ Jan 2nd 2007 12:58PM

"heck, things like being "able to control each member of your team individually" in a sports game seemed lofty back then."

uhm, you still can't. No matter how many players you control, the CPU still controls some players. If Madden ever boasts full 11 on 11 multiplayer, give me a call. Until then, that's a false statement.

raging_evil @ Jan 2nd 2007 12:22PM

Madden 2037!!

Rise of the Equipment Manager.

hegemonyhog @ Jan 2nd 2007 12:27PM

I think we're starting to see that people don't want total immersion in terms of their visual and aural fields - they want to be able to break from what they're doing in order to tend to everyday life (the phone, dinner, etc.). Games are diversionary, and need to be treated as such.

I think we eventually move towards total digital distribution (which is going to cause severe headaches for cheapasses like myself), and the American market finally opens up to gaming and consoles as the Japanese do, both in terms of "infotainment" and alternative (read: non-sports and shooters) games.

The MMORPG model, for hardcore gamers, eventually moves into an all-consuming experience, where you can tend to various elements of you character/world through your phone and parts of the internet without having to actually play the game. (In other words, moving people out of the bedroom office chair to their jobs without having to give up the ghost of running the level treadmill.)

I also think that sometime in the next two generations, a major Korean or Chinese company attempts to enter the market.

micheal82 @ Jan 2nd 2007 12:42PM

I predict that In the year 2032 Microsoft will be the playstation brand from Sony and launch the Xplaystationbox 360,000. The system sells well in America but Japan ignores it.
Madden 2033 is launched but it only comes with the Super Bowl Champion Chicago Bears and the New England Patriots, you have to buy the other teams and jerseys.
Nintendo comes up with a new and inovative way to play games buy implanting a chip directly to your brain allowing you to play games with full body controll and it is completly portable but the system is viewed as kiddie and the graphics are so last gen.
Duke Nukem Forever is due to launch in Q2. Wait it gets pushed back to the next year due to development issues.
The Phantom is also pushed back.

ac @ Jan 2nd 2007 12:43PM

25 years from now.......games will be like the holodeck in star trek the next generation. that was some great predictions from that guide.

ac @ Jan 2nd 2007 12:53PM

currently, the problem with video games is that problem with immersion. by the gamer being able to see the boundaries on a TV (a rectangular viewing screen), you will never feel like you are immersed in a full 3D environment regardless of how you improve the resolution on the screen or game. i think the next few generations are going to address that. its also going to be interesting to see when philips releases their 3D HD TV in 2008, and see how video games can be adapted and made for it, which is only a few years from now. just my 2 cents. 25 years from now, the world of video games (or interactive entertainment) will be completely different than it stands now.

uberjoe @ Jan 2nd 2007 1:11PM

But will I be able to play Mortal Kombat with a friend in Vietnam?

flymolo @ Jan 2nd 2007 1:11PM

@CJC

Crystalis is my favorite game of all time.

Mr. Khan @ Jan 2nd 2007 2:15PM

@ Jason, maybe not in Madden, but given enough controllers, it is possible in Super Mario Strikers (except the Goalie, but that is a different story)

3 Predictions:

1. If Wii sells most this generation, Sony will most likely sell least, and the next generation will see SEGA and Ubisoft feature consoles
2. If 360 sells most this generation, Nintendo will most likely sell least, and the next generation will see Nintendo's other eternal rival BanDai enter the console market
3. If PS3 sells most this generation, MS will sell the least, and next generation will see Apple step in to fill the void

crono141 @ Jan 2nd 2007 3:13PM

ac,

Shiggy has made statements to the effect that nintendo is experimenting with games that go beyond the TV screen. It might be a game for the wii, it might be the next system already. In any case, nintendo is again looking ahead to the future.

You will see the first viable VR game system from Nintendo. I can almost garantee it.

cybereality @ Jan 5th 2007 2:53PM

Wow, that article was pretty accurate for '82. Especially given how fast everything has progressed. We need to track down that author and get the definative answer on who really is gonna win this next console war. He will surely know.

But seriously, in 2032 video games will become so advanced that they are no longer called "video games". Same way you never hear anyone say: "you wanna go see a motion picture?". We will be laughing that they were ever called video games.

By sometime in the 2020's the video game console market will merge, becoming a standard like DVD. At this point graphics have hit a peak of total photo-realism and beyond. Graphics are displayed on 3DHDTVs which start at 42" fully wireless to the console and no longer require controllers. This standard will live for about 10 years.

After that point, say 2032, consoles will be organic wetware modules, advanced nanotechnology, that will automatically upgrade the users to support the newest content format. These "games" will be full virtual reality tactile feedback environmental simulations. There are no longer movies, all content is interactive.

Then, just for kicks we will load up Gears of War on the HDTV emulator we got for the wetware console. It also emulates the physical Xbox360, GoW disc and the controller for the authentic experience. Then laugh at how horrible the graphics look.