We're well into 2020 now, but the year still has so much to give us in terms of gaming. Here are a few trends that we expect to take off in the coming months.

New consoles

The release of a new console is always a major gaming event and 2020 will see two new consoles hit the market. The Microsoft Xbox X and Sony’s new PlayStation 5 will both hit the shelves and both are guaranteed to be massive hits. Armed with 4K capability, 120 FPS, and super-fast SSDs, they will elevate the console gaming experience another level. This should also mean there will be some good deals available on the outgoing console range. So if you want to add a PS4 or an Xbox One to your collection, this could also be a good year to do it.

Sony announce PlayStation 5 to launch globally at end of next year https://t.co/PVAjA3scnY

— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) October 8, 2019

Mixer will dominant streaming

When top video game streamer Ninja made the switch from Twitch to Mixer in 2019, it was considered a milestone moment in the streaming world. With Shroud also signed up to Mixer, many more are expected follow as streamers look for a fresh platform away from the sometimes intense environment of Twitch. With more players getting involved in social gaming, this is an area that's set to grow massively in 2020.

Bingo continues to grow

It may be at the other end of the gaming spectrum but online bingo is a massive deal. The market has grown by 70% in 10 years and the sector is now worth close to £1.5 billion with at least 3m players over in the UK alone. The introduction of progressive jackpots and fun bingo scratch card games has added a new dimension to an old tradition and more and more young people are now playing on a regular basis.

VR will finally take off

Virtual reality has been tipped as the next big thing for years but has yet to hit the mainstream due to prohibitive costs. Yet the big-name players including Sony and Facebook continue to invest in the technology. This suggests they believe there will soon be a tipping point for VR. Could the PS5 be the console that finally gives us the VR games we have waiting for? A new patent filed by Sony for a fully wireless headset suggests this could be the case.

Image: Pixabay

Reboots

Hollywood is renowned for rebooting old classics and the gaming industry could be set to follow. Expect more remakes of old classics as well as improved backwards compatibility as manufacturers and developers look to tap into the trend for retro and nostalgic gaming. The Final Fantasy remake due in March is a prime example of this in action.

Cloud gaming

Cloud gaming is a relatively new concept that is expected to grow in 2020 via services such as Google’s Stadia. However, there is still some skepticism about this kind of subscription game-streaming service and the new consoles arriving in 2020 could blow the whole thing out of the water. Google’s hope is that the Netflix and Amazon Prime generation will prefer a service that mirrors their current streaming habits.

Overall, it is set to be a big year for online game players right across the spectrum.