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Video game design and development provide an abundance of advantages to the tech and entertainment sectors. With an intricately formulated play-through, it gives players the opportunity to contemplate thoughtfully and make judgments within a safe and virtual setting.

Implemented with user interfaces, motion graphics, and interactive components, it entices gamers to interact with technology in a productive fashion.

Additionally, its applications extend beyond entertainment – for example, video visits for medical students and digital training for military personnel. Overall, video game design and development can be utilized as a mighty instrument to capture user interest across numerous domains.

An Overview of Gaming’s Economic Impact

Video games as a whole are booming, with revenues hitting billions recently. The explosive growth is fueled by a variety of factors. The most notable ones are linked to eSports and mobile gaming. The release of many well-designed and high-quality games also played into the huge revenue. Other factors include Twitch and Youtube’s streaming community which increases awareness about a new game.

With that said, let’s see how did videogames impact other industries in a good way.

Other Industries Positively Affected by Videogaming

You’ve probably become interested in video game design after hearing all that the video games industry has done to other fields. However, you’d need to take up a course first before you can become a videogame designer.

A video game design degree in Florida takes four years of full-time study to complete and can open the door to exciting opportunities in the world of game development. Students enrolled in such programs will gain an understanding of the creative and technical skills needed to create innovative video game experiences, as well as a theoretical and practical knowledge of game design. These programs also often offer courses on creating art assets, scripting, animation, and programming, as well as project management, testing and user interface design.

Now, what are the industries positively impacted by video games? There is a lot to list so we’ll mention them in a summarized format. Here are the industries that are affected by videogames in a good way:

Tourism

Countries may experience a huge increase in tourists from time to time because of video games. The main reason here is that people would like to visit these events. If not, they’re participants in these said events. The videogame events that boost tourism are the following:
- eSports competitions – eSports events take place in a specific country with a specified venue. Participants from all over the globe will head over to the said venue. Aside from the participants themselves, event spectators will also go to these places to witness the event in person.
  - Even though this isn’t the event itself but rather a product of it; eSports hotels are starting to become a trend in various parts of the world. These places are where gamers can stay for a few days, get to meet like-minded players, and have matches with them. The idea came into conception by combining the idea of driving in tourists through eSports.
- Videogame Expos & Conventions – Whenever there are new consoles or devices released for games, an expo or a convention takes place. These events just like the mentioned competitions take place in an overseas venue. People are willing to fly over to try the latest consoles or try the newest games.
  - There are many examples are in this list, but let’s give the spotlight to the biggest event, Gamescon. The annually-held Gamescon event takes place in Germany. On average, around 370,000 visitors are flocking to this event. Expect hotels and many lodging areas to be fully booked once there’s a venue specified for the year.
- Real-Life Places of Interest – Some video games, such as Assassin’s Creed would feature real-life places that are depicted during the period of the game’s storyline. Research reveals that games that feature real-life landmarks increase tourism. The gamer behind the screen would become interested in the real-life version of the landmark they saw in-game, then they’ll consider visiting that place at some point.

Voice-overs

The voice-over industry is in a better spot these days thanks to video games. Unlike before, video games nowadays have a voiced cast that lend their voices to capture the essence of the characters. Voiced characters became a thing around the 80s, but that was through a voice synthesizer. The first voice acted game though showed up in 1983, then by around the 90s and onwards – more games added more and more voice work.
Before that era, video games didn’t have a voice cast. Just beeps and sound effects to give you a clue of what’s going on. Voice-over work in the past was associated with animations or commercials.

Television

Videogames have impacted the television industry in a good way as well. Popular characters such as Mario, Pac-Man, and many more have made on-screen TV appearances. They usually make an appearance through various TV shows and animated series. If not, they are sometimes referenced in the lines and attire of characters.

Video games are a form of art and it influences other forms of art. For example, are the artists in the digital art niche. Whenever you visit a website of your liking or social media – you’d be greeted with some of the artist’s works related to games. These artworks are their expression to support the game that they like. Not only the artworks are a form of advertisement, but it also bolsters the portfolio of the artist as well.
There are some cases where the artists who once drew fanart gets absorbed into game development companies or obtains game design internships.
- In this case, one notable example is Claire Hummel. She was hired by Bioshock after their team saw her original fanart of various historical Disney princesses on the art-sharing website, deviantART. She also has done video game art for games such as Half-Life: Alyx, Fable Legends, and a few more.

The Film Industry

Video game design and work have also left a mark on the film industry. You can notice this immediately through filmmakers creating movie adaptations of the games. It can be animated or live-action; or even a mix of both.
Another way how videogames impacted the film industry is the way they’re made. It has paved the way for using more advanced 3D applications. The example here is the Unreal Engine which has found a use in filming “The Mandalorian”.

Education

Another area that’s starting to get influenced by video game design and the like is education. Since the earlier times of computer games, there have been already edutainment games. Nowadays, it’s more amplified in the form of simulator-styled games. These simulators allow children to learn specific sets of skills, for example:
- Games ranging from Epistory-Typing Chronicles to Math Blaster are utilized for teaching kids typing skills and basic mathematics. Minecraft: Educational Edition also has seen use for teaching kids in STEM education. It also teaches them the basics of reading, life sciences, and even chemistry.
Certain schools also employ the use of edutainment apps to facilitate social activity. Students will either coordinate together to solve problems. If not, they’ll compete with each other to complete activities to get a high score.

Telecommunication Industry

Telecom operators are also growing thanks to video games. That’s because nowadays, many games are accessible via the internet. Players would require to download them or if not, play them on the browser. It means that players must subscribe to a steady internet connection if they want to play. It can be a single-player game that requires downloading or they want to play with friends on multiplayer games.
In terms of types of video games, telecom operators benefit the most from competitive games and massive multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs). These two game types are the ones that require a long-term steady source of internet connection.

Science and Research

The science and research niche kind of overlap with education but with a few key differences. Unlike education, video game design that’s made for science is used to bolster data collection. An example of a gamified scientific study is a simulated chemical test. Imagine being a chemist studying chemical reactions. You run a simulated test of how two chemicals react through a lab-made application. You get to gather the results without the risk of chemical spills.
Aside from testing, simulators are used to observe changes. One example is to observe the behavior of bacteria in a petri dish through a simulator. A scientist can set the conditions where they can observe the bacteria. Then, they gather the data depending on what took place or what changes happened.

Mobile Phone Industry

The smartphone industry is another area that has benefited from video games. Smartphones are already a booming industry, but add video game design and development into the mix and it will skyrocket even further. Mobile games are the most downloaded applications from the app store. One example of data is during the first quarter of 2022, when global app stores experienced around 14.4 billion downloads of mobile games!
When you view the gaming industry as a whole, according to this source – around 45% of the global revenue comes from mobile gaming.

Real Estate

Enter the world of augmented reality gaming, where virtual game elements come alive and meld seamlessly into the player’s real-time environment. Video game design and development go far beyond entertainment and have implications in industries like real estate.
With AR technology rapidly on the rise, video games could completely revolutionize the way we buy and sell properties. This would imply immersive views of all kinds of abodes during a virtual tour. Plus, thanks to AR tech, you can take a trip through time and experience the original layout and decorations of historical homes.

The Bottom Line About Video Game Design and Other Areas

Video games in general have always been a source of entertainment for many people over the years. It’s just in these recent years that we realize that video games can mold and reshape other domains. It’s surprising how even the most simple-designed game could teach us or help us discover something new that we can use somewhere down the line. Maybe, all along video games aren’t just entertainment – they could be holding the keys to a better tomorrow.

Intelligently making use of the concepts of video game design and development can prove advantageous across a diverse range of industries. Leveraging game theory and producing immersive digital experiences can go a long way in unlocking the possibility of producing captivating digital products tailored to each organization’s individual goals.

This in turn leads to improved productivity, customer delight, and greater profitability. Consequently, there needs to be a shift from looking at video game design and development as solely a source of amusement to considering it a formidable asset for solving complex industry problems.