Asian gaming culture is impacting the gaming industry globally. Western gaming preferences are changing with the popularity of Asia-originated genres, such as RPGs and MMOs. Popular game titles originating from Asia, such as Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, and PUBG Mobile, are gaining followings in the West. Asian gaming culture is influencing western game design, character design, and gameplay mechanics. The rise of esports and professional gaming in Asia is now evident in the West, with major tournaments drawing millions of viewers worldwide. As the gaming industry becomes more global, it is expected that the influence of Asian gaming culture will continue to impact the West’s gaming industry.
How Asian Gaming Culture is Influencing the West
Introduction
The world of gaming has evolved significantly over the years, with the rise of Asian gaming culture being a major contributor to this evolution. In recent years, the popularity of gaming in Asia has grown exponentially, and with this growth, their unique gaming styles and attitudes have seeped into the west. The influence of Asian gaming culture can now be seen in western gaming preferences, game design, and even esports.
Gaming Preferences
One of the significant ways in which Asian gaming culture is influencing the West is through gaming preferences. In the past, western gamers were predominantly interested in high-end graphics, powerful hardware, and action-packed titles. However, as the Asian influence has grown, there has been a rise in popularity of gaming genres that originated from Asia, such as role-playing games (RPGs) and massively multiplayer online (MMO) games.
RPGs
RPGs originated from Japan and have been a staple in Asian gaming culture for decades. Western publishers and developers have taken notice of the popularity of RPGs in Asia and have begun incorporating them into their game releases, resulting in the genre gaining popularity in the West. Games such as Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest, which were once only available in Japan, now have significant followings in the Western gaming community.
MMOs
Similarly, MMOs have gained significant popularity in Asia and subsequently in the West. Online titles such as World of Warcraft, Guild Wars 2, and Final Fantasy XIV are now played by millions of gamers globally. The rise of mobile gaming in Asia has also led to the creation of MMO games that cater to the mobile platform, such as PUBG Mobile and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, which have huge followings in Asia.
Game Design
Another way in which Asian gaming culture is influencing the West is through game design. For instance, in recent years, there has been a significant rise in popularity for games with anime-inspired designs. This trend has been prominent in Asian gaming culture for decades and has now found its way to the West. RPGs, in particular, have heavily influenced western game design, resulting in games with stylized characters, colorful environments, and complex storylines.
Character Design
Asian gaming culture has also influenced character design in western games. In the past, western games were notorious for their lack of diversity, with most games featuring white male protagonists. However, with the influence of Asian gaming culture, there has been a significant increase in the number of diverse protagonists in western games. Games such as Horizon Zero Dawn and Life is Strange feature female protagonists, while Grand Theft Auto V and Assassin’s Creed Origins feature characters of color.
Gameplay Mechanics
Gameplay mechanics have also been influenced by Asian gaming culture. For instance, the use of gacha mechanics in mobile games has become popular in the West. Gacha mechanics originated from Japan and involve players spending in-game currency to obtain random items or characters. Games such as Dragon Ball Z Dokkan Battle and Fate/Grand Order use gacha mechanics, and their popularity has led to western developers incorporating similar mechanics in their games.
Esports
The rise of esports has also been heavily influenced by Asian gaming culture. Asia is at the forefront of esports, with countries such as South Korea and China hosting some of the biggest esports tournaments globally. The popularity of esports has now spread to the West, with major tournaments such as The International and League of Legends World Championship drawing millions of viewers worldwide.
Competitive Gaming
In Asia, competitive gaming is seen as a legitimate profession and is highly respected. This attitude has influenced the West, resulting in the rise of professional gaming in the West. Esports organizations such as Team Liquid, FaZe Clan, and Cloud9 are now household names and feature some of the best professional gamers in the world.
Game Choices
The influence of Asian gaming culture can also be seen in the games played competitively in the West. Games such as League of Legends, Overwatch, and Dota 2, which are all popular in Asia, are now played competitively in the West.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the influence of Asian gaming culture is evident in the evolution of the gaming industry. The rise of RPGs, MMOs, anime-inspired game design, and popular esports games are some of the ways in which Asian gaming culture has influenced the West. As the gaming community becomes increasingly global, we can expect to see more of these influences in the future.