Augmented reality (AR) blends the physical and digital worlds like never before. This game-changing technology superimposes digital elements into real-life environments. This means AR can bring a whole new level of immersion and engagement to a wide range of entertainment.
The most common example of AR comes from the hugely popular mobile game Pokémon Go. Players use their smartphones to find and interact with virtual Pokémon that pop up on their screen in a real-world environment. But this is just scratching the surface of what AR could do.
In fact, AR is already used in healthcare, education, and retail, with each field discovering ways to benefit from the exciting innovative tech. But is it here to stay?
A new frontier
Pokémon Go might be the most well-known use of AR in a game, but the opportunities for the technology in gaming are endless. Mobile technology has led to a rise in casino gaming, and it seems to be the most obvious genre to include AR capabilities in its array of titles. Live streaming and virtual reality have already breathed new life into casino gaming, but AR presents a different kind of potential.
Immersive gameplay with real-world integration
How about this for a great night in? You log on to your favourite casino game in the comfort of your own living room and all the dealers, tables, cash, and chips are all there virtually in front of you. That’s a far better experience than simply tapping on a screen! It’s this level of immersion that can provide a whole new level of engagement for players in an online casino and ensure that they’ll be back for more fun time and time again.
Interactive casino games
AR glasses and headsets could be the tech must-haves for players of all manner of games. Pulling levers to spin slots or picking up and holding cards in front of you isn’t the stuff of sci-fi, it’s a very real prospect that promises to take gaming to new heights. This could just be the start. The future could see players engage in games with the precision and skill needed to influence the outcome of games in their favour.
Social interaction
Obviously, the biggest advantage to real casinos over their online counterparts is the social experience. However, even that is changing. AR is bringing the social element into people’s homes through casino gaming like never before. Your living room could be transformed in seconds into a life-like casino space with other players appearing next to you that you can chat away with. Proof you can stay at home with your favourite mocktail and still keep your social life alive!
AR: The gimmick factor
AR is no doubt an exciting development in the gaming world, but is it one that will really last the test of time?
Overhyped expectations
AR is still in its infancy and many industries continue to work out the best ways to use this technology. For online casinos, AR is still relatively untested, meaning that while its uses might seem groundbreaking, the reality is that if not integrated properly, AR could be a novelty that soon wears off. The challenge for AR developers is to ensure that any AR integration into gaming is meaningful and creates more compelling gameplay — a simple overlay of a roulette wheel on a coffee table won’t exactly have players coming back for more.
Tech limitations
AR hasn’t been more widely adopted at this point due to the tech’s current limitations. It takes a lot of processing power to make AR viable and while smartphones are getting there, the devices needed to run AR properly are out of most people’s budgets. AR glasses are still expensive and quite bulky, which puts a lot of players off getting involved. Added to the fact that AR is a very data-hungry tech that needs a flawless internet connection to reach its full potential, it’s no wonder that AR isn’t yet a standard feature in many industries, including gaming.
The verdict
We’re still in the early days to know how augmented reality will shake out in the future. If you want the best-case scenario, AR technology could transform any number of industries in the years to come. Issues could crop up if developers treat AR as a gimmick and don’t integrate the technology in a meaningful way — as has been the case with 3D TVs.
The most important thing developers can do is listen to players, then AR could be the next major development in the gaming world.