How Video Games Will Look in 2021

Fast forward to 2021. Have a think about how games will look in
the future. How will technological and societal changes affect the
entertainment experiences of the future?

Recently, Sony Computer Entertainment hosted an exclusive all-star panel
of game makers that focused on what the next ten years of video game
development might look like. Panelists like Kellee Santiago (Co-Founder
of ThatGameCompany), Gareth Edmondson (Managing Director of Ubisoft
Reflections Studio), veteran game creator Mark Cerny, Shuhei Yoshida
(President of Sony Worldwide Studios) and Mick Hocking (Director of Sony
WorldWide Studios�3D�Team) looked into a crystal ball to forecast what
2021 might look like in the interactive gaming space.



The Next Evolution of Motion Controls

According to Yoshida, the motion controls of today like PlayStation Move
are the equivalent of the early 8-bit days of game consoles. "In the
future, we will know more about the player," said Yoshida. "Game
developers will have access to real-time information and data about the
player, which will allow them to create some really dangerous-almost
interactivities."


Star Trek Holodecks in Your Living Room

According to Hocking, holographics are going to be doable in the next 10
years. "You can bring an object out of the screen and look around it
right now in our R&D studio in Liverpool using 3D and head
tracking," said Hocking. "We're just at the start of this technology and
we're looking forward to game designers taking this and creating new
experiences.



Performance Capture Technology Will Surpass Hollywood

According to Cerny, games like Heavy Rain and Uncharted 3 are just the
beginning of what can be done with performance capture - and not just in
gaming. "Epic Games' Samaritan demo at GDC gave a preview of what the
next generation of virtual characters will look like," said Cerny.
"Performance capture will continue to evolve and allow game developers
to connect with players on an emotional level."


Always-Connected Gaming Experiences

Santiago believes the current generation of connected gamers who've
grown up online will move on to develop brand new types of gaming
experiences. "The kinds of games this connected generation of gamers is
going to make we can't possibly understand now," said Santiago. These
connected experiences will continue to evolve game genres and
experiences beyond even the cross-platform options that are exploding
today.


Conquering The Uncanny Valley

Video game graphics will continue to evolve, combined with new
technologies that will fully realize game experiences like LA Noire in a
way that brings living, breathing virtual characters to life that look
human. "We're not there yet, but we will cross the uncanny valley," said
Edmondson. "Games touch people in all different ways, but with more
realistic characters who also behave like we do, game experiences will
evolve." Today, the technology is just starting to open the door for
this technology, but a decade from now, the perfect storm of interaction
will arrive.


Games Will Make You Happy

In the future, your game console will become your friend. Kinect already
knows your name and your gaming likes and dislikes. In 10 years time,
game consoles will know a lot more about you. "It'd be nice to think
that we can form a map of the player, including real-time data like
heart rate and facial expressions," said Hocking. "Once you have this
type of information, games can learn the emotional state of the player
deliver an experience to change that emotional state." IF you're said,
turn on your PlayStation 4 (or 5) and let your console make you feel
happy again.



Single-Player Gaming Will End


In today's connected world, cooperative and online gaming already rule
the day. But Cerny believes unconnected single-player gameplay will
vanish from the gaming landscape in as little as three years time. "With
Facebook and the explosion of mobile and social games, I don't think
that will last," said Cerny. Instead, game experiences will blend other
players into the mix, even beyond traditional co-op play. Cerny pointed
to Demon Souls as a good early example, where players saw the ghosts of
other players who had died haunt their game experience.



Games Will School You

Serious games are already a huge category in the video game industry, as
everyone from the government to educators to corporations turn to
interactive instructions. Hocking believes the future of education is in
video games. "I'm excited about the potential of bringing 3D together
with augmented reality in a headset that we combine together to bring 3D
objects into the real world to bring perfect collision and occlusion in
real world," said Hocking. This type of technology will open up all
types of entertainment-based, as well as educational, possibilities for
one-to-one instructions and interactions. "Moving forward, there are
massive opportunities to educate as well as entertain people with
games."


2D Gaming Will Become Retro

These days, we're seeing many developers providing an homage to the
8-bit and 16-bit era of gaming with new experiences that are also
nostalgic. With over 50 3D games on the market today from Sony and 100s
more coming, panelists agreed that 3D isn't going away. Yoshida said in
the near future, game studios will be able to create games and have
someone else turn them into 3D experiences. Hocking said not every game
should be in 3D. Santiago believes that in the future, we'll see retro
non-stereoscopic games released from independent studios.


Virtual Reality

The promise of virtual reality from the '80s will finally be fulfilled,
but in a different way. The advances in 3D technology, performance
capture and head tracking will converge and open up new opportunities
for interactivity. "Gamers will be able to create objects
holographically and sculpt things with our hands, opening up fascinating
new one-to-one interactions," said Hocking. At the same time, advances
in AI will open up more interaction with game characters. "Experiences
will go behind Hollywood movies, where AI characters will not only be
able to talk directly to the player, but they'll be able to show them an
object and have them interact with it," added Hocking.


What's does your vision of the future of gaming look like? VR Goggles? Riding laser-beams? Let us know in the comments section.