For a while, it seemed like the next big thing in games would be companion gaming; games that would be made better by having a companion app on a tablet. Much of that excitement has gone away, with The Division being just about the only game on the horizon to really push that aspect. VR’s coming in the future, of course, but there’s no word on when that will be.
The current trend in games seems to be 4v1 gaming – and it seems to have sprung up on its own. Of course, the big one is Evolve, which pits 4 hunters against a player-controlled giant monster.
Then there’s Fable Legends, which pits 4 adventurers against a player-controlled Dungeon keeper; Dying Light which pits four survivors against a mutated zombie; Shadow Realms which pits four role-players against a dungeon master and Gamers on the Internet, which alleges to pit four Call of Duty players against your mom.
What’s next? seen any trends arising? What would you like to be next? My guess? A lot more playable women in AAA games going forward.
Personally, I would like even more games to feature couch co-op campaigns but as far as trends go, it’s one that’s already passed.
Last Updated: August 29, 2014
Admiral Chief Assassin
August 29, 2014 at 10:32
I’d like to see a trend of completed games completely devoid of day one DLC
Sith JJ
August 29, 2014 at 10:35
That’s unrealistic.
Admiral Chief Assassin
August 29, 2014 at 10:37
YOUR FACE HAS UNREALISTIC EYE LINER AMOUNTS
Sith JJ
August 29, 2014 at 10:37
No it doesn’t. I know what I’m doing.
Rock789
August 29, 2014 at 11:33
With you on that one.
Is it so unrealistic to imagine a time when a developer will only announce a release date when they know they’ll be ready, when they know there will be no delay because their game is 100% complete and they know that it will release with all needed software on the actual disk, instead of needing a day 1 600TB patch?
Kromas of City17
August 29, 2014 at 11:57
Dragon Age will be. At least that is what Bioware said …. please EA leave Bioware alone this time!
Admiral Chief Assassin
August 29, 2014 at 10:32
Cross-platform trend
WarframedSquirrel
August 29, 2014 at 10:54
I agree with this one… I wanna play Warframe with the PS4 guys
Sith JJ
August 29, 2014 at 10:57
FPS games against console gamers with no auto-aim? That’s nasty.
WarframedSquirrel
August 29, 2014 at 11:03
Not against, the co-op part of it… the crucible would just be unfair.
Wraith
August 29, 2014 at 11:07
It’s ok as long as it’s co-op.
HvR - 2 days
August 29, 2014 at 11:05
I like the idea of tablet play in Division. Lots of potential there.
Sith JJ
August 29, 2014 at 11:06
I would love to see such integration with strategy games on pc.
WarframedSquirrel
August 29, 2014 at 11:07
Also Diablo 3 cross platform… can’t see why not? eh?
Sith JJ
August 29, 2014 at 11:08
Absolutely.
Wraith
August 29, 2014 at 11:12
Because I’d get jelly when I see everyone else rolling. 🙁
Admiral Chief Assassin
August 29, 2014 at 10:33
Bacon-enabled gaming trend
Alien Emperor Trevor
August 29, 2014 at 10:39
I had pork sausage wrapped in bacon for supper the other night. I didn’t play with my food.
Admiral Chief Assassin
August 29, 2014 at 10:40
Heh, supper
HvR - 2 days
August 29, 2014 at 11:06
Yep, as my 5 year old told me yesterday. The biggest problem with Minecraft is the lack of bacon.
Sith JJ
August 29, 2014 at 11:06
That sounds like a very wise kid.
Admiral Chief Assassin
August 29, 2014 at 11:15
Future Professor!
Admiral Chief Assassin
August 29, 2014 at 11:16
PhD by 15 at this rate
Viking Of Science
August 29, 2014 at 10:33
Motion Controls, Obviously
Sith JJ
August 29, 2014 at 10:35
Boycotts. Boycotts everywhere.
Great Teacher Umar
August 29, 2014 at 10:37
Subscriptions and games as services
FoxOneZA
August 29, 2014 at 10:38
Yeah, if EA’s Vault works out successfully, we could see this becoming the norm.
Great Teacher Umar
August 29, 2014 at 10:39
Yup, exactly this
FoxOneZA
August 29, 2014 at 10:41
I wouldn’t mind a Nintendo premium service that opened access to the back-end of all Nintendo exclusives 🙂
Hammersteyn
August 29, 2014 at 10:41
Ooooooooo nice!
Great Teacher Umar
August 29, 2014 at 10:42
That would be sweet actually!
FoxOneZA
August 29, 2014 at 10:37
More console games coming over to PC with DX12, hopefully 🙂
Sith JJ
August 29, 2014 at 10:38
Unfortunately more console games coming over to pc just translates to me as “more awful ports”
FoxOneZA
August 29, 2014 at 10:41
DX12 and Mantle are here to fix those things #believe 😛
UltimateNinjaPandaDudeGuy
August 29, 2014 at 10:38
Let’s be honest…. The best thing in gaming is me…
Great Teacher Umar
August 29, 2014 at 10:39
You sound like Microsoft
Hammersteyn
August 29, 2014 at 10:40
LOL
UltimateNinjaPandaDudeGuy
August 29, 2014 at 10:41
More like EA and Microsoft combined and all running on uPlay! Muahahahaha!
Alien Emperor Trevor
August 29, 2014 at 10:38
F2P seems like the biggest trend. What’ll kill that is half-finished games & obvious cash grabs. It also has the “advantage” of keeping you online most of the time which is something all the big pubs seem to want because then you’re a sitting duck for them.
Hammersteyn
August 29, 2014 at 10:40
VR games!
Uberutang
August 29, 2014 at 10:41
Current trend is to delay games.
Hammersteyn
August 29, 2014 at 10:41
Especially for PC 😛
Hammersteyn
August 29, 2014 at 10:42
Another big trend this year is “Coming in 2015”
Sith JJ
August 29, 2014 at 10:43
More like “Delayed until 2015”
Great Teacher Umar
August 29, 2014 at 10:44
I wish I could delay coming until 2015
Lord Chaos
August 29, 2014 at 10:44
O_o
Sith JJ
August 29, 2014 at 10:45
I’m not sure how this comment makes me feel. 😉
Great Teacher Umar
August 29, 2014 at 10:46
Not sure myself either…will give you an answer in 2015 😛
Hammersteyn
August 29, 2014 at 10:48
What is coming is better than what is gone
Mark Treloar
August 29, 2014 at 14:39
Not if it comes back around again in 9 months.
Admiral Chief Assassin
August 29, 2014 at 10:51
BWHAHAHAHAHAHHA
Sgt. M
August 29, 2014 at 13:02
*Sees comment*
Nope nope nope
*Shakes head and leaves*
Sith JJ
August 29, 2014 at 10:43
Current trends per publisher
Ubisoft – Screw over your customers.
EA – Make your customers pay for every single thing.
Bethesda – Create incredible expectations and then give us a potato.
Hammersteyn
August 29, 2014 at 10:43
Valve – the number 3 is a lie
Sith JJ
August 29, 2014 at 10:44
That’s about the worst thing I can say about Valve 😉
Hammersteyn
August 29, 2014 at 10:44
Agreed.
Lord Chaos
August 29, 2014 at 10:44
I just want my Fallout
Sith JJ
August 29, 2014 at 10:44
That and Elder Scrolls VI. Not this TESO kak.
Hammersteyn
August 29, 2014 at 10:45
Bioware – Has EA agreed to this feature?
Alien Emperor Trevor
August 29, 2014 at 10:44
One trend I like is larger independent games from established developers which has been enabled in part by crowd funding.
Sith JJ
August 29, 2014 at 10:45
Yes
Great Teacher Umar
August 29, 2014 at 10:44
Giving the psVita less attention
AceZero911
August 29, 2014 at 11:02
No, say it isn’t so 🙁
Sith JJ
August 29, 2014 at 10:47
Hopefully the demise of Games for Windows Live, which I hear is actually still a thing.
Great Teacher Umar
August 29, 2014 at 10:48
Wasn’t that supposed to be killed already?
Sith JJ
August 29, 2014 at 10:49
Apparently it’s still going.
Great Teacher Umar
August 29, 2014 at 10:50
Damn, resilient piece of software that no one asked for
Sith JJ
August 29, 2014 at 10:51
We talking about Uplay or Games for Windows Live now? Heh
Great Teacher Umar
August 29, 2014 at 10:57
lol no difference
Hammersteyn
August 29, 2014 at 10:50
And Origin
Sith JJ
August 29, 2014 at 10:50
That’s never going to happen. But I’ll rather see Uplay go than Origin, because you can still buy an EA game on Steam and not have to use both clients.
Dutch Matrix
August 29, 2014 at 11:00
Origin is not so bad, to be honest. If I had to choose between that and Steam, I’d go with Origin.
Sith JJ
August 29, 2014 at 11:01
I don’t really think I can respond to this without ruining your and my Friday.
Dutch Matrix
August 29, 2014 at 11:06
My fiance left me this morning. I DARE you to ruin my Friday!
Sith JJ
August 29, 2014 at 11:08
We’re all friends here, that was just meant in jest.
My sympathies dude.
Dutch Matrix
August 29, 2014 at 11:09
Nah. I have to apologize. I was seriously just trolling you for a bit! It sounded witty at the time.
Sith JJ
August 29, 2014 at 11:10
http://i.lvme.me/494s61t.jpg
Sk3tz0
August 29, 2014 at 11:10
She left you because u favour Origin.. No woman that desperate for a man.
Lord Chaos
August 29, 2014 at 10:51
I still need it to start Fallout 3 from Steam.
Wraith
August 29, 2014 at 11:09
Wonder if FromSoft will patch Dark Souls 1 to work without it.
Sith JJ
August 29, 2014 at 10:53
I have a feeling (which I hope doesn’t come true) that we’re going to see more clients from other publishers.
Alien Emperor Trevor
August 29, 2014 at 10:53
New trend: People forgetting that they play games to have fun.
Dutch Matrix
August 29, 2014 at 10:54
But is that not the CURRENT trend?
Alien Emperor Trevor
August 29, 2014 at 10:59
Yeah true.
I played an hour of The Crew beta last night, I had fun, I’ll play some more tonight & over the weekend if I can. I made the mistake of reading other peoples thoughts… which basically boiled down to “waaaaaaaaaaaah!”
Then I went to browse GOG, they’ve redesigned their site & added little indie game-related movies. I think it looks pretty cool & DRM-free movies could develop into something nice in the (far) future. I again made the mistake of checking the forums. “WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”
I stopped reading the Star Citizen forums because of “WAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”
Sith JJ
August 29, 2014 at 10:54
Hell no. I pay all that money so my library on Steam is something to show off with. Screw fun!
Alien Emperor Trevor
August 29, 2014 at 10:55
I’ve seen your Steam library. BOOM!
Lord Chaos
August 29, 2014 at 10:55
HAHAHAHA
Sith JJ
August 29, 2014 at 10:56
Not all of us have an orgy of games, Emperor. At least all of mine sees some action. 😉
Lord Chaos
August 29, 2014 at 10:57
I don’t think you know how an orgy is supposed to work…
Sith JJ
August 29, 2014 at 11:00
With all the DLC’s these days that’s pretty much what it’s become.
Alien Emperor Trevor
August 29, 2014 at 11:00
No need for monogamy in gaming 😉
Dutch Matrix
August 29, 2014 at 10:57
Screw fun… Me and my vile mind! I hate you mind!
Ryanza
August 29, 2014 at 10:53
Microsoft has shown the direction consoles is heading towards, DRM. So it is not surprising to see all these online 4v1 and server based co-op, single player games.
Next big gaming trend? I don’t know. But I know it involves the death of the offline play. Games will be released with a need for a constant internet connection. Next big gaming trend? Death of the second-hand market. Can’t sell your games. No value in buying games. Only digital sales will matter. Next big gaming trend? Crash of the gaming industry. Expensive to make and no value to buy. Next big gaming trend? NO DRM games. The NO DRM trend will happen. I might just be dead when it does happen.
Don’t support DRM
Sith JJ
August 29, 2014 at 10:55
I think you’re on to something there with the second-hand games for consoles.
There’s already quite a big NO DRM trend, GOG proves that.
Ryanza
August 29, 2014 at 10:58
GOG.com is just the alternative towards old games released digitally with no DRM. It’s not a big trend for new big games to be released DRM free. It has to get much worse before it can get better.
Sith JJ
August 29, 2014 at 11:01
I know, you’re right. But the people who follow and support GOG is the group that is as much against DRM as you.
Sk3tz0
August 29, 2014 at 11:04
No one is as against DRM as RyanZa.. He like the Poster Child for the Anti DRM, Think of Ryan as The Capt America for DRm except without the Syrem and the Shield and the blue spandex.
Sith JJ
August 29, 2014 at 11:05
You’re probably right there. Though the spandex would make it seem more legit.
Sk3tz0
August 29, 2014 at 11:06
he the DarkWing Duck of Anti DRM.. that is it..
Sith JJ
August 29, 2014 at 11:07
Hahaha
Ryanza
August 29, 2014 at 11:12
DRM is the terror that flaps in the night. Just ask EA’s Origin.
Sith JJ
August 29, 2014 at 11:12
Dude. That DRM ruined SimCity for me. I still can’t get myself to play it again.
Ryanza
August 29, 2014 at 11:13
I am not the poster child for anti-DRM. My comments on this site makes no difference.
Sith JJ
August 29, 2014 at 11:14
You’ve touched our lives Ryanza. That’s all that matters.
Sk3tz0
August 29, 2014 at 11:16
Like Touched by an Angel but with Roma Downey Swapped out for Micheal Jackson oO
Sith JJ
August 29, 2014 at 11:17
O_o
Ryanza
August 29, 2014 at 11:19
Who’s bad. DRM.
Sk3tz0
August 29, 2014 at 11:14
Ur comments are that of a facebook like, is taht what u are saying 😛
Ryanza
August 29, 2014 at 12:04
If the like button tells you to, not support DRM.
Morne Nell
August 29, 2014 at 10:57
More Exclusivity by Platform, look what Bungy is doing with Destiny, even the Expansion packs will have ps4 exclusives. We will see this more and more.
Ryanza
August 29, 2014 at 11:01
The two major expansion packs for Destiny will be released for all consoles at the same time.
Morne Nell
August 29, 2014 at 11:02
That is correct but the expansions will have ps4 exclusives. Destiny already announced that and I think that is a first. Usually only the main game has exclusives.
Ryanza
August 29, 2014 at 11:04
Oh, I never heard about that.
Morne Nell
August 29, 2014 at 11:19
You can read about it here, also interesting is that it is exclusive for a year
http://metro.co.uk/2014/07/08/destiny-expansion-pass-has-ps4-exclusive-content-too-as-ghost-edition-revealed-4790487/
Brady miaau
August 29, 2014 at 11:00
Games that work on release.
DLC incorporated into games on release
Pre-order bonus that are meaningfull
Gameplay videos that match gamplay
Sith JJ
August 29, 2014 at 11:03
More previously ‘non-exclusive’ games to be bought by Microsoft and made exclusive.
HvR - 2 days
August 29, 2014 at 11:08
“exclusive”
There fixed it.
Sk3tz0
August 29, 2014 at 11:09
Next Big trend in gaming.. mmm Remakes of Text Adventures for the Oculus. (or what ever that vr thing is called).. thats right.. U going to be reading in VR.
Wraith
August 29, 2014 at 11:11
Error 37.
Dutch Matrix
August 29, 2014 at 11:11
Next big gaming trend is gamers going: “Wow. That game was seriously 20 hours of FUN! Not even the red or blue ending could ruin such an amazeballs game!”
Wraith
August 29, 2014 at 11:14
Hiring more physics majors so that they can accurately model female protaganists! 😀
Morne Nell
August 29, 2014 at 11:21
4K, 120 MHZ frame rate.
Sith JJ
August 29, 2014 at 11:21
Fish that swim away?
Dutch Matrix
August 29, 2014 at 11:24
Fish in the Presidium?
Admiral Chief Assassin
August 29, 2014 at 11:24
LOOOL
Sk3tz0
August 29, 2014 at 11:24
Sims 4 fish n Chips Take Away Xpansion
HvR - 2 days
August 29, 2014 at 11:24
Dogs that hump your leg. Now that is some CoD next level shit.
Sith JJ
August 29, 2014 at 11:25
You just blew my mind dude.
Admiral Chief Assassin
August 29, 2014 at 11:27
Next level CoD sh!t, picking up dog-poop!
Sith JJ
August 29, 2014 at 11:29
Poop scoop simulator. Never been done before.
HvR - 2 days
August 29, 2014 at 11:30
POOP SIMULATOR 2015. BOOOOM!
You can either be the poop or the poop scoop.
Sith JJ
August 29, 2014 at 11:30
If EA makes it you’ll be the poop, until you buy the scoop DLC
Sk3tz0
August 29, 2014 at 11:33
Public Urinal Cleaner Sim 2015.. SA Edition is cleaning OR Tambo Toilets, will be riddle with micro-transaction to purchase soap, sanitizers and toilet paper. New Mop DLC coming 4 months after launch. Early access will be available for those who are willing to Pay, you’ll get an extra toilet brush on purchase
HvR - 2 days
August 29, 2014 at 11:34
With the National Union of Toilet Cleaners Strike action expansion.
Sk3tz0
August 29, 2014 at 11:35
no the Game goes on strike if u dont use DRM
Sith JJ
August 29, 2014 at 11:35
I think EA might have a position for you.
Sk3tz0
August 29, 2014 at 11:35
bend over my PC desk 🙁
HvR - 2 days
August 29, 2014 at 11:32
Dammit Riley!!!
Sir Rants A Lot: On Pandora
August 29, 2014 at 11:23
The next big thing I think is going to happen is the return of adventure/mystery styled games.
Sk3tz0
August 29, 2014 at 11:23
Next big Thing in gaming.. starting 2015 RTS that are actually good again
Viking Of Science
August 29, 2014 at 11:27
Like Grey Goo? That looks great!
Sir Rants A Lot: On Pandora
August 29, 2014 at 11:29
No pools in games because it’s too difficult to dig virtual terrain
Sith JJ
August 29, 2014 at 11:29
LOL
Dutch Matrix
August 29, 2014 at 11:34
Next big trend in gaming: (Refresh)
HvR - 2 days
August 29, 2014 at 11:41
Gabe and my credit card’s erotic adventures.
Dutch Matrix
August 29, 2014 at 11:55
Now on sale in book stores everywhere:
“I went to the Steam Sale: The true story of how I turned my Virgin Credit card into a Slut Card…”
ToshZA
August 29, 2014 at 11:46
The only trend I’m really seeing is the delaying of games. If they start coming out in longer “intervals” and are better quality – this is a trend I can live with.
Norm
August 29, 2014 at 12:07
“Personally, I would like even more games to feature couch co-op campaigns”
I enjoy the hell out of couch co-op Diablo 3 on console!
Ross Woofels Mason
August 29, 2014 at 12:20
A trend where graphics take backseat to actual gameplay, meaning we dont to sit through 20 minute cut scenes.
Tarka_za
August 29, 2014 at 12:46
VR! VR! I started saving for my Oculus as soon as I heard about it. Unfortunately I used all of the Oculus fund as the car needed a service and I’m feeling very thirsty this weekend. But I shall rebuild it!
Sgt. M
August 29, 2014 at 12:57
“Gamers on the Internet, which alleges to pit four Call of Duty players against your mom.”
Best line of this article
Aussious
August 29, 2014 at 14:09
Making remakes of remakes so you can buy games than you already own at even higher prices