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Online gaming continues to grow in terms of participants and market share. The statistics for Australia show the increasing popularity with 68 per cent of the population playing online video games.
Over the past decade female online gamers have increased from 36 per cent to 47 per cent, the average age of a video game player risen from 29 to 33, and across the nation on average Australians are spending 88 minutes a day playing online games.
Multiplayer games especially have taken advantage of the experiences that online gaming offers. With the ability to play against people from all over the world, the online communities and friendships that are created, and the increasingly complex story lines and graphics that online gaming provides, it is no wonder that the Australian computer game industry is worth 2.96 billion dollars.
Recent offering, “Fortnite: Battle Royale”, is one of those games making the most of the online gaming juggernaut. With over 40 million users globally, the multiplayer shooter game released last year, and is now one of the biggest online games.
The game is similar in theme to the novel and movies series “Hunger Games”, where 100 players fight each other on a small island until only one is left. Weapons, supplies and other resources are hidden around the island and as the match progresses, the land mass is reduced forcing players closer together.
The continual improvements in games such as Fortnite, including graphics, game speed, memory and technical detail means that games are often technologically ahead of the systems that they can be played on.
Jason Bourne from Jason Bourne Computer Solutions says that PC’s are becoming increasingly popular for online gaming given they can be easily and quickly upgraded at a reasonable cost, instead of having to purchase entirely new consoles.
“Upgrading memory and graphic cards allows people to play and enjoy the newest games without having to constantly buy the latest Xbox or Playstation,” he said.
While online gaming is a great way to play your favourite games, it can also be a risk if you don’t have sufficient security for your PC.
Your computer can be at risk to viruses and malware along with privacy and hacking concerns. Mr Bourne said in light of recent Facebook information leaks and data breaches by leading banks, information security has never been more important.
“People love online gaming but there can be risks. It is vital that you have up to date virus and security protection to ensure the safety of your valuable private information and files,” he said.