Cloud technology today is primarily used in business settings, where its integration can positively affect a company's performance, as well as financial and data management. This is likely the arena in which cloud technology will ultimately be most significant in the long run as well. With developing technologies, however, it is important to pay attention to any potential avenues for advancement. And in the case of the cloud, the online gaming industry — and in particular online poker — is poised to play a meaningful role. Below are a few reasons why:
The advancement of technology
As you may be well aware, gaming is actually a sector that's experiencing quite a lot of technological advancement. Recent innovations in gaming are helping to advance augmented and virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and blockchain development (to name just a few examples). In keeping with this tradition, cloud gaming is becoming a popular and important topic of conversation, with poker likely to lead the way.
Within this reality, poker is also an ideal candidate for cloud gaming. Books could be (and will likely be) written about the various ways in which the cloud stands to improve the gaming experience. But the basic idea is that cloud technology will enable gamers to enjoy their experiences at high speed and with uninterrupted smoothness — without having to download games onto their devices. The aforementioned popularity of poker equates to millions of downloads of apps, PC games, and in some cases even console-based poker games. These games by and large work nicely, but because of their sheer number, it stands to reason that as cloud gaming takes over, poker will be one of the greatest beneficiaries.
The popularity of online poker
We look to poker specifically because it is still quite possibly the most popular online game on the planet. It may not always seem this way, particularly to U.S. gamers who are used to cash poker games being restricted online. The broader truth however is that there are still a lot of options. App stores and online download platforms are overflowing with free online poker games, and playing poker for real money is still a perfectly accessible option for much of the world. In the U.S., there are also a number of states that have legalized online poker, including Nevada and New Jersey. The legalization of these online games is crucial in terms of money regulation and cybersecurity for players. Fortunately, some of the biggest online poker sites are legal, such as WSOP.com, partypoker, and PokerStars, the biggest online poker brand in the world. Despite the attention devoted to popular mobile apps, consoles, and PC games, digital poker still has the broadest reach of any video game or genre online.
The public's demand for better gaming performance
As to when this cloud integration will happen, the answer is probably soon. The impact of 5G technology on the cloud gaming concept is not to be overlooked. Indeed, just as 5G is poised to improve cloud performance in other areas, it will bring about the kinds of speed and performance people only mused about when the concept of cloud gaming first emerged. This will in turn lead more platforms, developers, and gamers alike to embrace the concept.
What this all adds up to is millions of poker players leaping into a rapidly expanding cloud gaming environment that is built on 5G networks. And given the nature of the gaming industry, in which each site and developer is battling for supremacy, this will likely spark a frenzied competition for performance. Ultimately, cloud-based online poker will lead to further innovation — even well beyond gaming. For more news on gaming and tech, check out our blog.
[This is a contributed post]