Card and board games are some of the most popular titles that are still played today. While there are millions of people that play titles like Fortnite and Call of Duty, there are even more that play Microsoft Solitaire. Beyond this, many gamers also head to online casinos to try their hand at popular options like blackjack and roulette, often also taking advantage of the plethora of promotional offers that are available from most brands.
There are several reasons for the popularity of these types of games. Firstly, they are much older than many alternatives, allowing them to become more established and better known. Secondly, they’re almost always passed down from generation to generation as people come together to teach their friends and loved ones. On top of that, these games are infinitely replayable with mechanics that are easy for beginners to pick up quickly but complex enough to keep experienced players entertained for years.
But just like how online casinos use their bonuses and promotions to attract new customers, they also continue to innovate with novel ways to play their classic games. Over the years, this has resulted in the development of mobile options, live dealer games, and even special variants that add in new elements, like a roulette game with two balls or blackjack tables that offer side bets modeled on poker.
The makers of board games have also gone down this path, with huge hits like Monopoly and Scrabble getting digital makeovers to make them available over the internet.
But none of these creators can rest on their laurels, they must all continue to come up with new ways for their customers to enjoy their content, lest they fall behind the competition.
One commonly mooted area for innovation is virtual reality, a technology that has been bigged up for years, but always remains on the verge of being ready. That hasn’t stopped many companies from dipping their toes in the VR world. But could it really be the future for these classic games?
Hype and Novelty
There is a lot of hype surrounding VR gaming at present, driving many early adopters to give it a try. At present, there are some great examples of what card games could look like in virtual reality, with entire virtual casinos for players to immerse themselves in. These platforms are both a social tool for people to hang out with their friends in, and games that come as close as is technically possible to playing in the real world.
Board games could also work well in VR as players could step into the board rather than moving a small counter around it.
Limitations
VR is still expensive and not without problems. The Oculus Quest 2 is one of the best devices on the market but it’s still heavy to wear, lacks graphics definition in some circumstances, and only lasts a few hours before needing to be plugged in.
Games that involve a lot of moving can easily cause motion sickness in players, so card and board games may actually be the perfect genre since they can be enjoyed from a near static viewpoint.
Could the technology be the future of these traditional games, though? That will depend on whether these limitations can be overcome and developers can continue to build on the current excitement before the novelty wears off.