Gaming Seems To Be Changing A Lot, Which Is Neat!

What’s New in Gaming? A Look at 2026’s Biggest Shifts

Hi everyone, Leo Parks here! I've been spending a lot of time, like many of us, thinking about games lately, and it's really interesting to see how things are changing. It feels like… a lot is changing, actually.

The gaming world is booming, with the US market expected to hit a huge $62.8 billion this year. That’s a lot of controllers! But it's not just that games are popular, it’s how we’re playing them.

I've noticed a lot of familiar titles getting a second look. Remakes and reboots seem to be everywhere – like revisiting old friends. Apparently, it's a pretty safe bet for developers, and honestly? I don’t mind seeing a classic get a fresh coat of paint. I was really happy with how Final Fantasy VII Remake turned out, selling over 7 million copies is pretty impressive!

But it’s not all about the past. There’s a huge surge in indie game development, and platforms like Roblox are really helping. It's cool to see communities building games with the developers, getting feedback and shaping the experience. It feels more… collaborative, which is nice.

AAA games, the really big titles, seem to be taking things a bit slower. They're focusing on quality, which I appreciate, and a lot of them are using what they call “live service” models. Basically, the game keeps getting updated and added to even after you buy it.

And speaking of how you get the games, Steam isn't the only player in town anymore. GOG.com and Epic Games are offering alternatives, which is good – a little competition never hurts, right?

One of the biggest shifts, though, is how we actually play. Cloud gaming is getting really popular. Searches are up almost a thousand percent over the last five years! It means you don’t need a super powerful computer or console, you can just stream the game. They say there are around 295 million cloud gaming users worldwide now, that’s… a lot of people.

Early Access is another big thing. About 15% of games on Steam are released this way, letting players jump in and help shape the game while it's still being developed. It’s like being part of the creation process, which sounds really neat.

The PlayStation 5 is currently winning the console war, outselling the Xbox Series X, but both are offering some really amazing experiences.

It’s a really exciting time to be a gamer. Lots of options, lots of new ways to play, and a whole lot of games to enjoy. I'm just trying to keep up with it all, to be honest!