Online gaming has come a long way in a very short space of time. While we’re all still experiencing lag once in a while, it has never been easier to join guilds, party up with friends and win big online.
As the past year has shown, however, online gaming tastes have continued to evolve – and if the latest hints about 2025 are anything to go by, we’re in for an exciting ride ahead.
Let’s take a look back at some of the bigger online gaming stories from 2024 and then glance at what might be on the horizon for the next 12 months.
A broader acceptance of online casinos
There are still plenty of US states that don’t allow citizens to play casino games online for real money. While 2024 was a little disappointing in terms of legislation, there are set to be some potential changes this year that could open up online casinos to more people than ever.
For example, there are hints that the situation could change for Maryland players. Online casinos might be legalized in MD in 2025 thanks to a referendum this coming November – and resources such as those linked here will let you know where to find the latest legal slots and tables.
More crossplay, please
A common complaint from online players that have endured the years is the fact that certain consoles will only let you party up with others who use the same hardware. Crossplay appears to be a big pain point for lots of gamers heading into 2025, with millions clamoring to play online with more users.
Microsoft’s clever ‘This Is an Xbox’ campaign, which launched in late 2024, targeted this by opening up Xbox login and crossplay for mobile devices, streaming sticks, laptops, VR headsets and TVs. Doing so ultimately means that gamers looking for online play don’t have to pay out for a brand-new Xbox to take part!
The success of this campaign remains to be seen – however, it’s a clever way to open up online gaming beyond hardware borders. There are rumors that Nintendo might follow suit somewhat with the Switch 2, with some rumormongers suggesting that you might be able to use phones as controllers – but let’s wait and see.
Keep that content coming
2024 has been a fantastic year for DLC and content updates and for even some of the oldest legacy online games to continue breathing in new characters, play modes, maps and more. Fortnite, for example, will celebrate its eighth anniversary this year – and it’s continuing to bring in new seasons, characters, costumes and emotes.
We’ve previously discussed Fortnite’s incredible reach, and this is largely thanks to its consistent updates to online content and enhancements. Gone are the days of games being ‘complete’ at the point of sale – gamers in 2025 want their titles to keep evolving as they play through maps and campaigns – and this is unlikely to change anytime soon.
It’s likely, then, that new releases in 2025 – and even older titles that continue to court millions of fans online – will continue to find new ways to engage with players online.
That said, players of titles such as Destiny 2, Star Trek Online and Elder Scrolls Online might not be so lucky – however, stranger things have happened!
Stick with us for the latest news and updates
2025 promises to be an intriguing year as far as tech is concerned in general, so stick with us for the latest news and updates as soon as they become available. What’s on your online gaming backlog for the year ahead?
