Korean Gaming Startups need to research eye-tracking technologies. Eye-tracking technology involves following the gamer’s point of gaze by keeping a record of the eye’s movement and positioning. It uses a light, which is pointed at the pupil which in turn creates a reflection at the cornea. It can be used with VR headsets which makes it perfect for gamers to utilize the technology to detect where they are looking while playing a fast-paced game like League of Legends or Starcraft. Future VR games will certainly incorporate eye-tracking technologies to create the most immersive game possible. However, no one really knows when VR gaming will truly take off in the mass market. However, it is not a matter of if but a matter of when for VR gaming to be the dominant gaming sector in the coming years.
The Korean Gaming Industry
Korea has been a major market for mobile and computer gaming companies. They have the fourth largest gaming industry in the world. However, Korea is #1 when it comes to gamer penetration at 56%. Mobile gaming is played by over 53% of the Korean population which shows just how strong the mobile gaming market in South Korea really is. Therefore, South Korea’s passion for gaming can’t be matched by other countries. If any country will adopt VR gaming first, it will be South Korea. South Korea already has VR gaming centers and cafes all across Seoul. Step into COEX, Lotte World Mall, or Lotteworld and you will find a VC center nearby.
Furthermore, P.C. Rooms all across Korea are filled with active young gamers who spend hours upon hours playing the latest games. These gamers are always on the lookout for new and innovative gaming systems. In addition, there are a number of Esports organizations in Korea that support the Esports community. There is a growing feeling in the gaming industry that VR gaming will revolutionize the Esports industry. Therefore when it comes to gaming, South Korea is the best market to test the latest innovative technologies such as eye-tracking.
Future Technologies in Gaming
As technology advances, gamepads, keyboards, the mouse, and the controller could become obsolete. There is a new technology that could revolutionize the gaming industry by 2023. This is eye-tracking technology. Eye-tracking technology involves measuring what the user is looking at and how the eye reacts to different kinds of stimulations. Having data in regards to eye movement can give game developers valuable insights into human behavior and visual attention. Using eye-tracking technology will allow your computer to know what you are looking at and can react in real-time. This paves the way for a truly immersive gaming experience.
Instead of pushing a button on your controller, you will be able to just look at an item and use it. Therefore, the computer will identify the item just by analyzing where you are looking. Eye-tracking could be developed to be used as a gun to target units, have characters go from one place to another, or even change their POV.
How does eye tracking actually work?
Eye-tracking technology follows the user’s gaze by focusing on the positioning and movement of the eyes (corneal reflections). A light that is very similar to infrared is used to track the pupil. This will then create reflections on the cornea and it is these reflections that are tracked by the eye-tracking camera. Your eyes will not notice the almost infrared light, therefore it will have no effect on the user in regards to distractions. This is what will be used in gaming and probably will be introduced at some point for Esports in Korea. There are so many things users will be able to do with eye-tracking technology. Users will be able to select their weapons or aim their weapons just using their eyes. Users will also be able to log into their games using their faces.
The Future of Gaming in Korea
Games in the future will be much more fast-moving in the future thanks to 5G in South Korea. Since the eye can move at a much greater speed than our hands and our fingers, the future of gaming is going to be very fast-paced. Think of gaming with an eye tracker as the first step in VR gaming. The best part is that a vast majority of the games already out there can implement eye-tracking. As more and more developers adopt this technology the more you will be able to do in regards to gameplay. The most likely scenario will be that eye-tracking technology will be implemented in VR headsets first and can be seen as more of an upgrade item. There will need to be a killer application for eye-tracking to really take off in Korea.
Game developers in Korea will be able to offer the highest quality graphics possible by taking advantage of your eye’s main focus. What we mean by this is that when people look at a particular space, the space around it becomes blurry The brain focuses on the focal point to give the best/clearest image possible. They render only the part of the image (your center of focus) in great detail. This will lead to VR games with the potential of 4K resolution using this method. It will only be a matter of time before PC bangs offer these VR headsets with eye-tracking technology. It will be great for first-person shooter games PUB-G.
Pro-Gamers will Pave the Way for Eye Tracking Technologies
There are now eye-tracking systems that can help Pro-gamers measure their performance and see what they are doing wrong in real-time. Korean pro-gamers are already using eye-tracking technology to improve their skills. In order to be a great eSports player in games such as Starcraft, League of Legends, or Overwatch is to look for the right information and make the right move at the right time. With eye-tracking technology, pro-gamers will have a broader analysis based on what the gamer was actually looking at. Did they notice an attack right away? How often did they look at their mini-map? How often were they scanning for counterattacks? As more and more gaming companies open their APIs to startups using eye-tracking technologies, more and more gamers will be exposed to the benefits of eye-tracking to improve their performance.
As gaming starts to shift to virtual reality, you can be sure that most VR games in the future will all have eye-tracking technology. This is why Korean gaming startups need to focus on the research and development of eye-tracking. Each major gaming company in Korea should have a VR gaming department. This is the future of gaming control. However, eye-tracking will not take off until VR gaming goes mainstream. So the question is when this will happen. It will be wise for Korean gaming startups to be ahead of the curve and think ahead in order to be a part of the gaming revolution that can occur in the coming years.
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