Source: Wikimedia Commons

The last few decades have seen video game technologies develop at an incredible rate, going from milestone to milestone in a matter of years. As the world became increasingly interconnected in the 2000s, video games too have allowed people to instantly connect with one another across continents in real time with online gaming. The seminal Star Wars: Battlefront was released for this generation of consoles and allowed players to control a single soldier as part of a much larger army – pitting two teams against each other.

Now in 2017, an embryonic technology is emerging in the form of virtual reality and the first few releases are likely to completely revolutionise the gaming experience. Where home consoles put games in players’ living rooms and handheld consoles brought them into our hands, virtual reality instead immerses the player fully inside the game.

New downloadable content for the Star Wars Battlefront: Rogue One game on PS4 allows players to pilot an X-Wing in virtual reality, and the reviews are hugely positive. Whilst the virtual reality component of the game is only available for one mission at the moment, it gives us a glimpse of what the future of virtual reality gaming will be like. Perhaps it won’t be too long until you’re able to fully recreate a lightsabre battle in your living room with the help of a virtual reality headset and controllers.

Another massive leap in gaming technology was the concept of live streaming which allowed players to watch each other’s screens over the Internet. This technology has changed how people see gaming: what was once thought of as a casual hobby is now seen as legitimate competition. The rise of eSports has proven that video games should be taken seriously. The numbers don’t lie – an estimated 148 million people tuned in to watch eSports in 2016. The competitive nature of Star Wars: Battlefront has led many people to believe that it could be a successful eSports title.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Live streaming has even changed the face of iGaming. The days of electronic slot machines and animated roulette tables are seemingly drawing to an end as sites such as Vegas Casino are introducing live casino betting. These games give the player the feeling of being in a real-life casino as they watch a live stream of a dealer handing out cards in real time while they play and place bets. You’ll see here how you can play live blackjack, baccarat, roulette and more at Vegas Casino – more than 20 live games are available to try.

Live streaming gives players across all genres a more realistic experience. Perhaps in the future we might see live streaming being incorporated into Star Wars games in a similar fashion – allowing players to watch streams of each other whilst battling it out in real time.

The future of Star Wars gaming is promising for die-hard fans. There is a new Battlefront title in the works, and a brand-new action adventure game will be released in 2018. VR fans have a treat in store with a Darth Vader VR Experience film currently being produced by Lucasfilm, have a look at the teaser trailer below.