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Four ways how automation has transformed the iGaming industry

Games today have, literally, become simulated representations of the world that surrounds us, enabled as much by augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) as other technologies, the application of which has accelerated since a virus came out of nowhere to confine us to our homes. For this, we have automation to thank.

 

Yet, it’s no longer just about the overall experience. It’s also about the details that make that experience absorbing and fun for every user—specifics such as the soundtrack and background score, the visuals, the characters, the plot, the situations, and also the levels of difficulty and variety of challenges.

 

Indeed, technology has enhanced our relationship with gaming. Here are four reasons why:

 

  1. Reality gets more ‘real’

For instance, forward momentum in game design has allowed developers to take the gaming experience up another notch. Now, they can make characters and scenarios that are true to life—as believable as you and I, and as our neighbourhoods, markets and offices. This guarantees an experience that is akin to being present on a film set, or in a sports arena, and as immersive as anything you’ll embrace.

 

  1. The casino comes home

Artificial intelligence has had a ‘game changing’ impact on gambling. This tech has brought the casino ‘home’, right into your living room, so much so that players now feel as if they have been transported into the midst of the tables in some iconic casino—right down to the croupiers and chips. As you think of raising the stakes, risking some cash to win some extra dough, the experience can’t get any more ‘Monte Carlo’ than this.

 

  1. Viva, video games

There’s every chance that the video games of the future will be developed through the use of AI automation technologies, making them even more of a mesmerising experience. One way this has already manifested itself is in games designed for consoles, with, for example, the likes of Microsoft and Sony employing machine learning to add value and dynamism to their offerings, via stunning content, imagery or music.

 

  1. VR & AR

In VR and AR gaming, there is infinite potential and only because the cost of investing in a VR and AR game continues to fall. Besides, there is little more immersive in the realm of gaming than to be plunged into a universe where realities are blurred. When you can enter a digital world that is superimposed on your actual setting (AR), or are teleported into an alternate reality via space-age headsets (VR), at a fraction of the cost a half-decade back, you’d be mad not to accept the thrill of the challenge.

 

Besides, as smartphones become ever more hi-tech, and with the world now having entered the age of 5G, gaming (and gambling) on the go has freed up users, allowing them to play whenever and wherever they choose. Meanwhile, with big-name players now introducing new versions of their iconic creations on the cloud, consumers who prefer to play on their laptops, personal computers or consoles, can access these latest versions at their fingertips, via a subscription service.

 

Automation in testing

Yet, before games are marketed and sold to an audience, they also have to be tested for quality, and the use of automation tools allows games to be developed at a quicker pace.

 

Automated game testing comes with many advantages. One, it saves on time, effort and money. Two, it has proved to be far more effective at identifying gremlins early on in the development stage. Three, it can reach elements of a game that might be too time-consuming for a human, or simply inaccessible. And four, it frees the team to focus on the key tasks—like, developing games and then testing them for playability, challenge and enjoyment.

 

At present, only the industry giants would have the resources to invest in automation testing. The others, especially the niche players, will be happy enough to commit quality time and human resources to come up with the next brilliant idea that promises to enthral the next generation of gamers.

 

(The author is Mr. Dmitry Belianin, CCO Parimatch International and the views expressed in this article are his own)

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