2019: Google releases Stadia, a cloud gaming service that allows gamers to play without a console.

2016: Augmented reality game Pokémon Go is launched, generating the most revenue grossed by any mobile game in its first month.

2015: 1.5 billion gamers around the world.

2009: Apple announces In-app Purchase feature for iPhone apps.

2009: Minecraft launches and becomes one of the best selling video games in history with 176 million copies sold.2007: Online gaming starts shifting to mobile.

2004: World of Warcraft launches, the first massively multiplayer online (MMO) to eclipse more than 10 million active subscriptions.2003: Digital storefront Steam launches, allowing gamers to buy and review games online.1990s: Online gaming rapidly gains popularity due to the increasing availability of the internet.Subsequently, use of online games began to proliferate in the ‘90s as a result of widespread internet adoption. The Birth of Online GamingĪlthough video game prototypes were created by scientists as early as the 1950s, the very first gaming console was not introduced to consumers until the ‘70s. The infographic above explores the humble beginnings of the online gaming market and dives into the technological possibilities driving its future. Estimated to reach $196 billion in revenue by 2022, it is now considered to be one of the fastest growing industries on the planet. In just a few short decades, the world of online gaming has exploded in popularity. Online Gaming: The Rise of a Multi-Billion Dollar Industryįrom tabletops to virtual reality, how we play games is changing with the times.

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