The Nation’s Favourite Digital Games
In case you didn’t already know, here in the United Kingdom, we take gaming very seriously indeed. According to Ofcom, around 60% of people aged 16 and over play games on a regular basis, either on a console, PC or on their smartphones or tablets. Given that there are now around 3.2 billion gamers in the world, it’s safe to say that we Brits make up a high proportion of the global gaming audience. Furthermore, it’s estimated that UK players spend around £21 million a year on gaming.
The gaming industry has, of course, undergone significant transformation in recent years. Gone are the video game cartridges and CDs of the last century. Digital gaming, in which games are played online or downloaded from online marketplaces or mobile app stores, is now the most popular way to play games. All this transformation has also pushed gaming into the spotlight, turning it into a mainstream industry that is, quite simply, everywhere.
But what are the games that keep British players coming back time and time again? In this article, we’ll uncover which of the thousands of gaming titles available nowadays are the nation’s favourites.
Roblox
This massively multiplayer online gaming platform is unique in the world of online gaming because players can create and play their own games using the platform’s scripting language, Lua. The game was first released in 2006, and its popularity has grown steadily ever since. Roblox is available on multiple platforms, including PC, mobile, and Xbox One.
Roblox’s main appeal lies in its user-generated content. Players can create and publish their own games, which can range from simple platformers to complex multiplayer games. The platform features a wide variety of genres and game types, including racing, role-playing, and tycoon games. Some of the games published have generated audiences of players in their millions.
In addition to its user-generated content, Roblox also features a virtual economy, where players can buy and sell virtual items using Robux. These items can range from in-game currency to character clothing and accessories.
Online Poker
Poker is a traditional card game that’s still in play today after over 200 years. When the wider gaming industry went online, poker joined in, and now it’s a massively popular vertical in the iGaming sector.
Online poker games can be played for free or for real money, and players can find a number of variants in the digital realm, such as Texas Hold ’em, Omaha, and Seven-Card Stud. Online poker sites like PokerStars offer gamers a variety of ways to play, including cash games, tournaments, and sit-and-go’s.
Furthermore, it’s easy to learn how to play the game online, with many websites providing resources on identifying the best hands to play and more. With gamers able to open a browser and join a game of their choice anywhere with an internet connection, it’s no wonder that verticals like online poker are outperforming brick-and-mortar events.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is a first-person shooter published by Activision. The sixteenth instalment in the iconic Call of Duty series, the game was released in October 2019 on console and PC.
The game itself features a new storyline, new characters, and new multiplayer modes. As with all other instalments in this eSports staple franchise, single-player mode takes gamers on a journey through a fictional, contemporary conflict, where they’ll need to use a variety of weapons in a number of highly-realistic battles.
In multiplayer mode, the game offers up a number of formats, including traditional deathmatch, objective-based modes, and large-scale Warfare. It even features a new 2v2 mode, a 10v10 mode and a 20v20 mode, which are designed to provide players with a more tactical and intense multiplayer experience.
Grand Theft Auto V
GTA V is an action-adventure video game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. Undoubtedly the most widely-played instalment in the Grand Theft Auto series, GTA V is almost ten years old but is still widely popular with UK gamers and international gamers alike.
Set in the fictional city of Los Santos, it follows the story of three notorious protagonists: Michael, Franklin and Trevor. One of the most notable things about the game is the level of detail and realism in its open-world environment. Players are given free rein to roam the city and complete a variety of tasks and activities at their leisure.
In story mode, players have a series of missions to choose from, including heists; meanwhile, multiplayer mode utilises GTA Online to enable players to interact with each other in a shared world.