Eight activities to do online rather than offline

Even for someone who’s been living under a rock for the past few years, the Internet has affected life in some shape or form. What traditionally used to be complex and achieved by a team of a few people is now handled by an app that barely consumes any power. With this convenience, the way things used to be done and people’s preferences and expectations have changed, from how they take their coffee in the morning to how they play games. 

This article looks at some of the activities many now prefer to handle online and how this has affected the gaming industry. Anyone ready to feel nostalgic, should keep reading.

Learning

Learning has been made easier by the recent improvements in Internet connectivity and speeds. As a result, more and more students opt to take their classes online as they work a full or part-time job. A recent study in the United States showed that about 30% of higher education students take at least one online class. 

The trend in the gaming industry is no different. New players visit blogs to learn and perfect their skills before playing games. This is critical because online gaming is only just taking root and will continue to play a more significant role in the industry. 

Gaming

As mentioned in the previous point, online games have been acting as a gateway to new market segments. However, the phenomenon has not only attracted new audiences, but it’s also becoming a mainstay for many portals. As a result, online games are a significant revenue stream that will only continue to grow. 

On the other hand, players appreciate the convenience of online playing and the added benefits. For instance, even playing in websites like Costa bingo can be more engaging online than live and in-person. Gaming halls usually have to play many games simultaneously, which can be long and boring, but online there’s more control over the pace of the game. 

Ordering takeout

Mobile apps have made it easier than ever before to order food online. As a result, there is now more food and delivery options than diners could ever utilise in a lifetime – in contrast with a few years back when all one could get delivered to the doorstep was pizza or, on the extreme, one had to go to a drive-through. 

Enjoying time online accessing entertainment is much more fun when there’s no need to think about cooking. 

Streaming movies

There was a time when the only way to enjoy a 007 movie was to go to the cinema or rent out a compact disc from Blockbusters. Talk about living in the Stone Age! Today fans can barely surf the web without seeing a streaming platform advertising a blockbuster movie. 

In addition, streaming platforms like Netflix are tinkering with the idea of introducing online gaming to their offering. This will make accessing online games even more convenient than it already is. 

Streaming music and live concerts

Before the invention of the mp3, everyone was a DJ. To listen to your favourite artists, one had to keep a collection of vinyl records or CDs. Then it was important to ensure they didn’t get dusty or scratched because then they wouldn’t play right. But all that ended with the introduction of high-quality mp3 and now music streaming platforms. 

A few years back, the world went into lockdown because of the pandemic. Artists couldn’t perform on stages, and people could not go to events or entertainment venues. But with live concerts supported by VR, it was still possible to support a favourite artist or join a game online. There is a whole range of live music platforms online, with options and genres for any taste.

Marketing

One marketing principle states that once one find where a target audience is hanging out, the next thing to do is concentrate all marketing efforts on those places and only those places. Judging from the ad spend of most companies online, it’s safe to say that that’s where most people are. 

This is further exacerbated by social media and the fact that every new product coming out needs an Internet connection for something. So it only makes sense that marketers in the gaming industry are also shifting their interests to the online space.

Social media

It might not seem like it, but it’s not that long ago that email was the most advanced way to connect. Now, all sorts of social media platforms cater to different social aspects, and video calling apps have made communication much more accessible. It might be hard to imagine a less interconnected world, but it once existed. 

Online games have also taken advantage of this and introduced interaction. So now, players can still conveniently access and play games from anywhere while still maintaining their social connections.

Shopping

There was an era when the name Amazon was associated with a river in South America. Now it means convenience, impulsive shopping and overnight deliveries. Indeed, those were much simpler times. Now, 14.1% of all the world’s retail purchases are online. The gaming industry is also expecting more of its profits to come from online platforms as time progresses. 

Conclusion

The Internet revolution is probably one of the most significant developments that have moved the needle for humanity. We have experienced profound changes in the quality of our lives, and we are yet to scratch the surface of the potential the online space holds. 

On the other hand, businesses have also experienced advancements that they are still coming to terms with, and the gaming industry is no different. Games and interactive first-person adventures are much easier to access, and the playing experience is pretty decent. As we continue to improve the technology and the platforms, the online gaming space will only get bigger. 

The editorial unit