By: Mark Lovett
Many of the biggest leaps forward in gaming have involved graphics, with each generation pushing visuals closer to photorealism. The games that we play rival what we see on the big screen, placing us front and center in the world of the titles we play.
Nobody would fault you for believing that gaming has reached its pinnacle and thinking that there’s not much that can be improved on. While it may seem that way, game developers are working on things that are poised to blow our minds. The next big leap in gaming will be in designing worlds that think, feel, and respond like living systems, which will take immersion to an entirely new level.
Get ready for three big changes that could make games even more realistic than they are today: smarter characters that remember and react to you, worlds that change as you play, and new gear that makes virtual experiences feel more real.
This article takes a look at these trends and how we could finally see the blurring of the boundaries between player and game worlds.
Realism is Changing How We Play Across Gaming Genres
When you think of realism, you may think of story-driven narratives or open world adventures, and you’d be right; these games have led the way when it comes to making games feel more like lived experiences than scripted challenges. However, realism isn’t limited to these titles. It’s changing how we play games across genres.
As online casinos have become increasingly popular in recent years, the iGaming industry has put a lot of work into making them feel as true to life as possible. Online gaming platforms feature titles like Jackpot 6000, which has a classic slot theme with fruits and Joker symbols. As players spin the reels, the animations, sound effects, and pacing mimic the feel of what they’d experience playing a physical slot machine on a real casino floor.
Some online casinos have started experimenting with 3D environments and AR tools to deepen the experience. In a few years, it may be difficult to distinguish these online platforms from the real thing.
AI-Powered NPCs That Feel Human
AI has been a trending topic since ChatGPT made its debut back in late 2022. At the time, the discussion focused more on how AI-powered chatbots would change the way we work, but what many didn’t realize is that AI would change everyday tech and entertainment as well, especially in the world of gaming.
If you’re a gamer, you’re already familiar with NPCs and probably wouldn’t mistake them for being particularly intelligent. The good news, that’s beginning to change. Gaming studios and companies like Inworld AI have made significant progress when it comes to giving NPCs memory, emotional nuance, and dialogue, all using large language models.
At GDC 2025, developers showed how NPCs could respond interactively to a player’s input within 200 milliseconds, erasing the lag that once betrayed AI puppetry. Meanwhile, Sony and Epic are busy at work trialing conversational systems. Sony’s internal prototype lets Aloy from Horizon Forbidden West speak to players via GPT-4 and voice synthesis, while Epic’s new “Persona Device” empowers Fortnite creators to build emotionally expressive bots
As the technology improves, you may find yourself playing against (or with) NPCs that remember what you did in the past, react in unpredictable ways, and even hold grudges against you, something that’ll bring much more realism to gaming than the preset scripts that are used to guide NPCs.
AI won’t stop with NPCs; supercharged AI is also changing how world-building is done via procedural generation. The technology will make fixed gaming maps a thing of the past, as future gaming journeys will adapt based on how you play the game.
About the Author: Mark is a tenured writer for NewsWatch, focusing on technology and emerging trends. Mark gives readers insight into how tomorrow’s innovations will transform our relationship with technology in everyday life.
