Gaming has evolved rapidly since the creation of the first text-based computer games of the 1970's. Although the joys, and challenges, of playing against a computer in single-player mode can be numerous and fulfilling, especially with ever-improving AI technology, you still can't replicate the excitement of playing a game against lots of other people – multiplayer gaming! The ultimate in multiplayer gaming is playing against lots of other people, who you probably don't know and never will, via the internet. This fantastic fun once used to be the preserve of PC gaming, however with the increase in console gaming power and popularity, some of today's most played online games are on consoles.
Another major positive aspect of online games, which is not possible with single-player games, is the vast possibility for social interaction that online games allow for, especially in the creation of huge online gaming communities where millions of players from around the world can virtually meet up, chat and play. The addition of this social activity into the gaming experience has positive and negative consequences but always adds a new dimension to games which the majority of players find fun and rewarding.
There are many different types of online game, some are still single-player where players are pitted against a computer or play a game with no opponent instead having to beat their own high score in the game, with the majority being multiplayer. The FPS (first person shooter) genre of multiplayer online games is particularly popular, being one of the leading types of online game primarily played from a console, with games like Call of Duty topping the sales charts every year. Elements of the FPS style, like the concept of a deathmatch, are commonplace in modern online games and the large scale multiplayer battles found in FPS games are the basis for the most modern, popular type of online gaming – MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing games).
MMORPG are incredibly popular as they combine the best of the single and multiplayer gaming worlds and strategies. MMORPG often have complex individual gameplay with vast worlds and visually stunning graphics whilst still integrating all of this into vast game worlds, often based on fantasy and magic, where millions of other online players also congregate and play. This allows users to play against each other and computers, whether in teams or not, and brings completely new aspects to video and computer gaming. MMORPG often require software which is not online itself and must be installed on the computer or device before playing online.
Similar to MMORPG are browser games, however, these games are completely playable online, usually for free too, and require no extra software or downloads. These self-contained online games often don't need much computing power and can be played from devices like tablets or smart-phones, widening their appeal in the casual gaming market. These online games can have the same single and multiplayer content that MMORPG offer and be great fun to play. Overall, online gaming is definitely here to stay and is one of the most exciting and fulfilling ways to game in this modern internet age.
