Advertisement

From ticket arcades to esports: Singapore's top 5 gaming trends in 2018

By Ian Gregory

With 82 per cent of the population active on mobile devices, it comes as no surprise that Singaporeans are among the most prolific gamers in the world. With 2018 coming to a close, Yahoo Lifestyle Singapore looks at what got gamers hyped this year.

1. Battle Royale

(Photo Illustration by Getty Images)
(Photo Illustration by Getty Images)

Battle Royale is now a cultural phenomenon, with PUBG (PlayerUnknown’s Battleground) and Fortnite the most talked about games this year. Inspired by the Japanese movie, Battle Royale, the premise is simple – a group of players are placed in an ever-shrinking arena where they scavenge for weapons and eliminate everyone else in a mad free-for-all. Last one standing wins. What has really taken the genre to the top is its accessibility across multiple platforms. Both PUBG and Fortnite are available on PC, consoles and even mobile devices, so seeing players battle it out at kopitiams is a common sight.

2. Pokemon Go/Let’s Go!

Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu! and Let’s Go Eevee!
Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu! and Let’s Go Eevee!

Along with ongoing updates and new Pokemon to catch on Pokemon Go, Nintendo upped their game with the launch of Pokemon “Let’s go, Pikachu!” and “Let’s go, Eevee!” on the Switch. What got tongues wagging was their integration with the ever-popular Pokemon Go. Pokemon Go players can send what they’ve caught to a Let’s Go player and get a Mystery Box that allows them to catch a new, hard to get Pokemon – Meltan and its evolution Melmetal. Switch players have even made themselves available in public places for Pokemon Go players to collect these Mystery Boxes.

3. Esports

League of Legends players compete at Hyperplay, an e-sports tournament held in Singapore this August. (PHOTO: Reuters)
League of Legends players compete at Hyperplay, an e-sports tournament held in Singapore this August. (PHOTO: Reuters)

Competitive video gaming is now a spectator sport, drawing crowds by the millions. The revenue potential is phenomenal – estimated at US$906 million (S$1.24 billion) this year, garnered from sponsorships, betting and merchandise, among other things. A large part of the local conversation is about spotting, training and fielding Singapore talent, with even the government showing an interest. Esports will make its debut at the SEA Games in the Philippines next year, and will be an official medal sport at the 2022 Asian Games in China.

4. Ticket Arcades

(PHOTO: Facebook / Timezone Singapore)
(PHOTO: Facebook / Timezone Singapore)

This throwback to the 90s – complete with bright lights and blaring sound effects – is making a comeback, with chains like Timezone expanding rapidly. Claw machines and game cabinets abound, but centre stage are nostalgia-inducing machines that spit out tickets with every play. Redemption counters have evolved into dressed up stores, with the best prizes costing thousands in tickets.

5. Game Developer Hiccups

The most talked about incident was when Blizzard announced a new mobile only version of Diablo – Diablo: Immortal – at their Blizzcon convention in November.
The most talked about incident was when Blizzard announced a new mobile only version of Diablo – Diablo: Immortal – at their Blizzcon convention in November.

Game developers’ missteps also had gamers chuckling. The most talked about incident was when Blizzard announced a new mobile only version of Diablo – Diablo: Immortal – at their Blizzcon convention in November. The backlash came quickly from fans around the world, hungry for updates and improvements to Diablo itself. Many viewed the move to mobile a cash-grab, even prompting one to ask: “Is this an off season April Fool’s joke?”

Follow Yahoo Lifestyle Singapore on Facebook.