1) Ultra-UGC: Modders Go Big

On September 6, Bethesda, the American company behind genre-defining action role-playing games (RPG) like Skyrim and Fallout, will release Starfield – its first new game world in 25 years. Players will traverse over 1,000 pre-existing alien planets, and the community is invited to build their own.

2) Cross-Cultural Storytelling

Mirroring the growth and success of cross-cultural narratives in entertainment streaming (see Pop Culture Primer 2022), the high-budget AAA gaming sector is platforming stories and cultural markers originating outside of western canons.

3) Humanising Non-Playable Characters with AI

Developers have set to work equipping non-playable characters (NPCs) with access to artificial intelligence (AI) to unlock lifelike behaviours.

4) Co-Op Beyond Combat

Responding to demand for more varied social experiences, gaming companies are exploring co-operative (co-op) gaming modes that unlock friend connections beyond just splitting enemy combat.

5) Musical Mechanics

Rhythm games, which make music and rhythm an integral part of gameplay, have proliferated this year. In this genre, enemy attacks happen in time to the music, and beats per minute tell players how quickly they need to move through dangerous areas. These multisensory gamescapes let players enter a relaxing flow state, which holds myriad mental relaxation benefits.

6) Subverting War Games

Armed combat is a perennial feature in gaming, and war games are some of the genre’s most reliant high-end top sellers (see Key Stats). Smaller indie studios occupy their own niche in the genre by exploring the emotional stakes of warfare.

7) Meditative Mundanity for Mental Wealth

Last year’s rousing success of Powerwash Simulator – with over seven million players so far having blasted a powerwasher in an expanding catalogue of virtual settings – revealed the calming catharsis chore simulators offer. In the absence of threats, antagonism or combat, these meditative simulators let players reap the dopamine rewards of immediate on-screen achievement.

8) Entertainment Streamers go Transmedia

Netflix made its mark on the show floor with a celebration of its most beloved shows and the 70+ gaming titles available to subscribers. As its catalogue of re-released and acquired titles expands, its attention is turning towards original games that integrate with its video content.

9) Sustainability Simulators

Eco anxiety looms large in public consciousness (see Key Stats). Forward-looking game companies are addressing these societal preoccupations by adding sustainability strategies and climate change scenarios to gameplay.

10) Sociological Gaming: Character Relationships as Objectives

Cosy games from the indie sector are making the interpersonal relationships between ensemble characters the central puzzle for players to unpick. As people figure out how to make a fictional community work better, they unlock empathetic dimensions to the ever-popular puzzle genre.