Video game ads from decades gone by went in hard about how realistic their graphics were. They were, of course, almost never realistic. But it was a sign of the value players placed on the visual fidelity of titles and was a clear way for publishers to differentiate themselves from the competition.
Today, however, these claims are all but gone. Good graphics are just taken for granted with only exceptional graphics receive any mention at all.
Does this mean that video game graphics are at their peak or can we expect them to get any better in the future?
The Decades-Long March for Better Graphics
Remember Pong? Those little paddles and the bouncing ball, all in glorious black and white? That was the state of video game graphics in the early 1970s. At the time, the technology was cutting edge and blew the socks off many people back in the day.
Just being able to render anything on a screen in real-time was mind-blowing.
Over time, video game developers and publishers have continually pushed the boundaries of what is possible as new hardware has become available.
Whilst improvements in technology have always been at the heart of this, in the early days, they used tricks to overcome technical limitations. For example, Mario’s iconic hat and moustache are the result of early arcade machines not being able to include enough detail to distinguish his hair and facial features.
The hat, therefore, removed the need to give the plumber any hair, whilst his moustache emphasised his mouth and put a clear line under his nose.
Fast forward a few decades, and we’re looking at games like The Last of Us Part II, with its stunningly realistic characters and environments. It’s a world away from Pong, and it’s a testament to how far video game graphics have come.
Slot games are also a great example of this. They started even earlier with 19th century versions using physical playing cards, before eventually moving towards LED lights and then computer graphics.
Today’s online slots feature hundreds of different themes and genres, ranging from space to the deep oceans, and everything in between. Each one uses modern graphics technologies to offer an immersive playing experience, whilst also providing compatibility with older and lower-powered devices.
In all these cases, graphics improvements have come from a combination of technology and human creativity. But are these always going to improve or are we close to a limit?
Moore’s Law May Be Set for Repeal
Every new generation of consoles brought with it a leap forward in visual quality. But as we reach the limits of current technology, it’s becoming clear that progress may be slowing down.
One of the factors limiting further advancements is Moore’s Law, which states that the number of transistors on a microchip doubles approximately every two years. This law has been a driving force behind the rapid improvement of computer hardware, including the components used gaming machines.
However, there are signs that Moore’s Law may be reaching its end as its unstoppable force smashes into the immovable object of the laws of physics.
Diminishing Returns
Another factor is that video game graphics are already incredibly realistic. There are only so many ways to improve upon what we already have. While we may see incremental improvements in areas like lighting, textures, and character models, it’s unlikely that we’ll see the same kind of dramatic leaps forward that we’ve seen in the past.
If a video game already looks like a movie from several angles, the improvements can only iteratively improve the number of angles that make it look like a Hollywood production.
It’s Not the Commercial Winner it Once Was
While game developers are always striving to create the best possible experiences for their players, they also have a business to run. And in a competitive market, it’s not always profitable to invest heavily in cutting-edge graphics technology.
With only smaller graphics improvements, there isn’t the same incentive to push the boundaries of graphics.
Additionally, players are, overall, placing lesser emphasis on graphics than they once did. More and more gamers are realising that gameplay is where much of the fun is derived from, rather than the visuals.
Convenience and multiplayer functionality are also important, neither of which are the conducive for top-notch graphics. This is why there are so many titles that still run on computers with as little as 2GB of memory.
Conclusion
So, can video game graphics get any better? The answer is probably yes, but the improvements are likely to be much smaller over time.
As we reach the limits of current technology, it’s becoming clear that we may need to find new ways to innovate in order to continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible. And that’s exactly what we’re already seeing from developers.
