New year, new trends. Anticipated new video games and online gaming technology is heating up.

GTA 6 is expected to drop. Online casinos are leveling up. Microsoft finally closed Activision Blizzard. The Nintendo Switch 2 is almost due. Xbox might just make a killing this year. Mixed Reality takes center stage. Multiplayer VR is becoming a thing. AI integration is changing the way we choose. And, Retro Games is remaking old favorites. 

There are too many exciting video and casino gaming trends to count in 2024, and in this article, we’ll take a look at a few of the most prominent updates to keep an eye on.

When will the GTA 6 release date be announced?

Arion Kurtaj made headlines in September 2023 when he allegedly hacked Rockstar Games and obtained 90 different gameplay clips of GTA VI. Back then, we didn’t even know that there would be another one given the length of time that had passed since the release of GTA V. 

Clips of the new game spread like wildfire across the internet, going viral within minutes of release, leaving us all with a million and one questions. An internet subgenre called “GTA Mythology” was then born, with many fans and skeptics flooding social media with theories that the leaks were fake, AI-generated, and even fan-made. 

But once Rockstar Games finally made the announcement and released the trailer in December (much earlier than they had initially intended to, but hey – what else could they have done?), they confirmed that their latest installment will go live in 2025 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. It will be set in Vice City and the main protagonists will be former convict Lucia and her unnamed male partner. Was the leak a terrible thing to do? Yes. Are we all excited about the new release, though? 100% Yes.

How is online casino technology changing?

Online betting is booming. It’s no longer enough to play a standard round of poker, or simple 3-reel slots in an online casino.

Operators have had to level up their user experience to meet the changing technological advancements so they can retain loyal players and acquire new ones. Cue cryptocurrency and heightened return to player rates. 

The online betting industry has seen massive changes in how quickly players can buy in, place bets, and receive their winnings. In addition, players now have tech at their fingertips to review return-to-player rates, ensuring they get the most out of their game time.

Two trends have influenced these changes. 

The first is cryptocurrency, which many online betting platforms now accept as a form of payment. Crypto is faster than other traditional payment methods and has become one of the most popular choices among bettors online.

It allows bettors to make transactions quickly and also offers reduced transaction fees, which means more money in the pockets of players.

The second trend is the rise of platforms dedicated to ensuring high return-to-player percentages. According to Vlad Grindu, there are now a number of high payout options where players can hopefully have their funds go further.

Many of them have also adopted crypto as a form of payment, making it a double whammy for savvy bettors looking to get the most from their gambling budget.

When will Nintendo Switch 2 be released?

It’s been six years since the first Nintendo Switch was released, and rumor has it that there might just be another one on the way. The Japanese gaming giant might be working on a brand new follow-up with a standard OLED display with 4K output, improvements in power, and more updated features. 

The rumor continues that it will be launched in 2024 with a new 3D version of Mario. It’s estimated that the new Switch 2 will be priced at $399 because of the OLED screen, custom Nvidia chipset, eight-core Cortex-A78AE processor, 10 streaming multiprocessors, and 512GB onboard storage. 

The biggest problems with the original Switch were stick drifting, a weak battery, more memory, and better wifi connectivity. When it does eventually get released, we’ll keep an eye on the reviews, and if you get your hands on one, make sure you get a screen protector to protect your new toy. 

How is AI being used in new video games?

While VR helps with creative breakthroughs, AI helps creatives get started. In 2023, Generative AI was a hot topic, and the momentum it has generated will not stop in 2024.

There is a bit of controversy surrounding Generative AI and copyright laws because of the randomness of it all, but it has been quite helpful over the past year.

A lot of AI tools have copilot functions that assist in processing large data packs, improve productivity, boost creativity, and automate everyday tasks. 

In the gaming industry, AI is being integrated into both video and casino games. In video games, AI has been used to create adaptive and responsive games since the 50s.

Companies like Nvidia have AI tools to write scripts for NPCs, although there is no total guarantee that the characters won’t deviate from their scripted conversation. In casino games, AI helps customize the user experience by analyzing behavior and trends.

Is there room for improvement? Always. Does AI have a place in gaming? Undeniably. That’s why we’re excited to see what else this innovative tool can be used for in 2024

When will Apple Vision Pro’s Mixed Reality headset hit the stores?

In March of 2024, Apple will be launching its Vision Pro. This headset will explore Mixed Reality (MR) which is kind of like a combination between AR and VR.

It’s still unclear what kinds of games will be played using this headset, but Apple has announced that there will be 100 Apple Arcade titles available. 

MR can be a little hard to understand. This is how How-To Geek explains MR: “[Imagine] you’re playing a mixed-reality tabletop game using a headset. In this game, the cards are entirely virtual, but they can be placed on a physical table in front of you. You can also pick the cards up from this surface.

In such a scenario, the physical table recognizes the virtual cards, meaning real-world and digital elements are interacting.”

Although Meta launched the Quest 3 in 2023, it seems like Apple might take the cake with this one. The brand itself already appeals to so many different people, so by taking its gaming tech up a notch with M3 chips and moving into VR, it’ll get more engagement this year.

We can imagine the Vision Pro will be ideal for both new video games and online casino games.