Top Gaming Platforms to Explore in 2023
The global games industry is doing better than ever in 2023, with annual revenues in excess of £230 billion a testament to its surging popularity. You may be forgiven for thinking that there’s little more to it than console blockbusters like Call of Duty, or casual mobile minigames such as Candy Crush Saga – but in reality, there’s never been more choice at your fingertips.
With everything from triple-A thrills to soothing puzzle-laden adventures, there’s sure to be something below to tickle your fancy. If you’re at a loss of where to begin – and we don’t blame you, the App Store alone has nearly 1 million titles to choose from – simply consult our rundown here of the top gaming platforms available in 2023.
Ace in the Hole
Some gamers prefer a different pace to the sensory overload that has become so commonplace in the industry, and we can’t blame them. For those that prefer a bit of legacy and class with their gameplay, there’s a surprising array of options to peruse.
Among the leading examples worth your time are those platforms that have grown up around the digitised versions of enduring classics. Among these classics we can refer to blackjack online, which has found a new home in its various variants on reputable platforms throughout the internet.
You may wonder why one would opt to play what is ostensibly a physical table game through this medium, and generally the answer to this is that it offers the flexibility to pick-up and play wherever you are, even if you’re on the go thanks to its mobile-compatibility.
There’s also the benefit of being able to jump into games on-demand, whenever the mood takes you, rather than having to arrange a game or travel to a brick-and-mortar venue to do the same.
VIP Treatment
Seemingly in response to the market saturation the industry is suffering from, more and more developers and platforms are working on the creation of curated libraries for gamers to explore. Easily the most exciting example of this to come along recently is Apple’s very own Apple Arcade subscription service.
This platform, which enables users to play titles across the entire Apple hardware ecosystem, started life as a sort of ‘VIP pass’ to the App store. This is because for a single monthly fee, you get to play and enjoy all the best games the app store has to offer, with more being added every day.
What’s doubly compelling about the service today though is that it’s increasingly becoming a vehicle for Apple to wade into the games industry with a number platform exclusive titles that are worth the price of admission alone.
These range from an ongoing collaboration with Sega to bring unique Sonic the Hedgehog and other Sega IP games to the service, to a new RPG – named Fantasian – from the mind of legendary Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi.
Head in the Clouds
You may not have heard of cloud gaming before, as in the grand scheme of things it’s still a relatively new technology and one that hasn’t yet taken off in a big way – but rest assured, you’ll be hearing more and more about it before long.
Cloud gaming seeks to offer a ‘netflix for games’ experience where you can simply stream games to your local device over the internet. This has a number of benefits – for one, it circumvents the need to own a games console or powerful PC to play, as all the heavy lifting is done server-side. That frees you up to play some of the biggest games to come out in recent years on whatever you have lying around, from your Smart TV, to an old iPhone.
At present, several companies have sought to take their first bold steps into cloud gaming, but none can match the value or quality of Xbox’s Cloud Gaming service which comes bundled as part of the
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription package. At £12.99/Mo, you’re given no holds barred access to a rotating roster of some 180 games – an absolute steal.