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We may wonder about what recent developments in technology mean for specific businesses or the economy in general; some industries seem as if they can only grow with new possibilities. Gaming surely has to be one such industry, and numerous entertainment companies know that very well. That is why Amazon, instead of following the news from the e-sport community or streaming well-established games, is looking to make its own games.
Naturally, there are many reasons why anybody, let alone a multi-billion dollar international company, would be interested in doing so. New solutions are replacing the old ways of gaming, and technology has to follow suit. The times of LAN parties are now long gone due to online multiplayer options making the concept obsolete. Even the traditional, non-equipment games, like chess and card games, have transferred to the electronic world because playing poker with friends is much faster and more accessible, therefore making it more enjoyable. People in the entertainment industry aim to provide customers with all kinds of fun activities collected in one streaming service. Potential future developments, in the form of cloud gaming, for instance, will only make these trends stronger.
It takes a long time to make games, and even longer to make good games, but the big picture has stayed in the minds of those making the decisions at Amazon. Regardless of the exact details about its final shape, there would probably have to be some sort of complex ecosystem of services on offer from the media giant. The company is following in the footsteps of strategic rivals like Microsoft and Google, which are constantly expanding the types of entertainment they offer. Attracting millions of potential customers is an appealing prospect and one definitely worth pursuing. Video games are predicted to become even more popular in the future; with more than $160 billion made in estimated revenue this year, it could become one of the most important elements of modern entertainment. If Amazon’s plans were to be successful, the company would not only take a piece of the cake but also display its prospects for future technological possibilities.
The first key milestone on the path to success is right around the corner, and it could become a moment of truth in the industry. Initially revealed in 2016, an ambitious science-fiction shooter called Crucible is set to have its premiere in May. It involves 13-player third-person shooter gameplay where 12 players share a battle royale-type experience and the last one alive wins. But they have to cooperate to survive the initial stages. Also planned for next month is the initial release for pre-order purchases of New World, which is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game set in an alternate 17th century. Other than that, Amazon is working on a cloud gaming platform under the alias Project Tempo, as well as on some new casual games intended to be played on its own popular game streaming service, Twitch.
How will Amazon’s endeavors to become a major game developer and gaming services provider turn out in the future? Only time will tell. As far as gamers are concerned, the more material they have to choose from, the better.
