Is Live Casino the Precursor to VR?
- Category: Pics |
- 1 Jun, 2022 |
- Views: 795 |
Since the introduction of the internet, gaming companies have jumped on the bandwagon and are on the forefront of adopting new technologies. However, the most significant leaps were made after smartphones became dominant on the market post-2010, and with the emergence of widely spread fast mobile broadband 4G, and lately 5G networks.
It's somewhat ironic that the live casino games are gaining traction lately. Online casinos are fierce competitors to traditional casinos and have advantages like convenience, availability, and a much larger number of games. But, simultaneously, live casinos give players that old-school classic feel, returning them to conventional casinos, at least over the internet.
What is a live casino?
In recent years, top gaming studios started the live casino trend. The basic idea is to provide an authentic casino experience by introducing a live dealer and the possibility for communication between dealers and players. The most outstanding new live casinos offer a massive variety of games like baccarat, roulette, poker, and blackjack. Top platforms have over 50 games in the live casino section.
The live casino plays out perfectly on mobile phones with fast mobile networks and flawless mobile websites using HTML 5 technology. As a result, users rarely experience latency and have higher immersion when playing games.
iGaming platforms and top game studios constantly aim to upgrade an already excellent gaming experience. So can VR be the next in the line for boosting the online casino experience?
What is VR?
Virtual Reality is a tech trend that uses special hardware to create a virtual 3D environment users can immerse themselves without seeing edges. A simulated 3D environment you see in games is now around your field of vision, and you are in the center of the virtual world.
To create such an illusion, developers created unique pieces of hardware. There is a standalone VR headset relying on the ARM chipset and high-resolution screens for both eyes. Another type of VR hardware includes a headset dependent on the computer's power. Such a VR set can deliver a much better illusion of virtual reality, but it's not as convenient.
Oculus Quest is arguably the most popular headset and has both self-sufficient capabilities and you can use it with more powerful computer hardware.
Will live casinos embrace VR as a next step?
VR is a mature technology but is still very niche. Many more users would need to have VR devices for online casinos to be interested in substantial investment. Another obstacle is network resources. VR games demand more bandwidth and could pressure game servers for iGaming companies.
With all mentioned obstacles, game providers and online casino platforms already have several VR games, so if you do have VR hardware, you can elevate the gaming experience.
Top VR implementation in iGaming so far
Evolution Gaming is one of the most popular game development studios for the iGaming niche and has recently introduced the first live casino VR game. After the acquisition of NetEnt studios, Evolution introduced their popular Gonzo's Treasure Hunt slot game as a VR game show. The gameplay revolves around finding the hidden treasure behind the wall of 70 stones.
You can play the game using a VR headset and controller if you opt to play in VR mode.
Other notable games currently available for the VR platform include Casino VR Poker, Apollo Slots VR, Big Spin Slots, Bullet VR Roulette, and Big Hit Casinos. Aside from Evolution Gaming, Microgaming, Netent, and Casexe are developers producing VR content with much more to join the party.
VR live casino outcome
For now, most developers take proven concepts and convert them to VR, and we could see much more if game studios opt for entirely Virtual Reality games. The possibilities are endless. You could create unique poker rooms set in a Wild West Saloon or have gods of Ancient Greece by your side while playing Greece-themed slot games.
A game of blackjack or roulette would be more interesting if you sit by James Bond in Casino Royale. The 3D simulated environment might develop into any genre or niche, from Ancient deities, through the Old West to CyberPunk and the animal kingdom.
In the VR live casino, wherever you turn your head will be virtualized backgrounds, and game developers will need more resources to create new games. In addition, other needed infrastructure is slowly setting in with most areas under 4G or 5G coverage, and our smartphones have computing power better than computers a couple of years ago.
Live Casino might be the first step toward converting classic online casinos into a more immersive and inclusive environment with two-way communication and next-level visuals.