There are dozens of ways to find a new gaming title to enjoy. While many people think of PCs or Xboxes, there’s incredible variation in today’s gaming market beyond these mainstream platforms. For example, you could also explore casino bonus offers from sites like oddschecker, which collate some of the industry’s top offers in their directory.
In spite of the fact that such titles, like slots and roulette, don’t get nearly as much attention as traditional video games, they are created be world-class developers. Just like Ubisoft or Tencent, these studios, such as NetEnt and Play’n Go—have built a reputation for their innovative work in this niche gaming sector.
Clearly, developers of all stripes are an important element of the gaming community. And some are even smaller than casino creators like NetEnt and Play’n Go. For example, if you’ve played a game like Alto’s Adventure, you’ve benefitted from the hard work of an indie developer. Even Minecraft was an early indie project released back in 2009.
Let’s explore some of the world’s top gaming developers—especially those you probably haven’t heard of.
Best in RPGs: BioWare
RPGs are role-playing games—and they include some of gaming’s most hardcore fans. That’s because RPGs allow gamers to explore an open world rich with storytelling in which they can craft their character how they see fit.
BioWare narrowly wins in terms of its RPG releases, as it faces steep competition from developers like Bethesda and Blizzard. However, BioWare stands out because it continually innovates new gameplay mechanics and gameplay modes.
The company is behind some of the most ground-breaking RPGs ever released, including franchises like Mass Effect, Baldur’s Gate, and Dragon Age: Origins.
Best in FPS: Valve
Similar to RPGs, first-person shooter (FPS) games are some of the most popular in the world. Rather than allowing players to explore an open world though, FPSs are about accuracy, reaction times, and competition. Some of the most famous games in the world are FPSs, including the Halo and Call of Duty franchises.
From the genre’s origins with the early Wolfenstein games and Doom, right through to the present day it has been a story of continuity rather than innovation. However, that’s not to say that certain developers and franchises, like those mentioned above, didn’t carry this tried and tested formula forwards.
Bungie’s first outing with Halo: Combat Evolved on the Xbox revolutionized the way people played FPS games on a controller, giving rise to the dual-thumbstick layout that all subsequent console titles, Call of Duty included, utilize. Before them, Valve showed that it was possible to use the medium to blend action with sophisticated storytelling when they released Half-Life, a game credited by many to be the best FPS ever.
Best in Fighter Games: Capcom
Let’s take a tour of the past. During the 1970s and 80s, one of the most popular types of arcade games was fighting games, otherwise known as Beat ‘Em Ups. These featured imaginative characters with acrobatic and aggressive special moves, all pitted against one another. People’s early examples include Street Fighter, Tekken, and Mortal Kombat.
One of the first types of games to become popular in the arcade era, fighter games remain one of the most hardcore sectors of gaming today. Each year, thousands of players compete to be crowned the world’s champion in a specific game. Clearly, there’s tons of competition for fighter game developers, but few contests that Capcom comes out on top.
Capcom narrowly beats Arc System Works (which helped steer a new type of 3D animation for fighter games) because of its wildly successful Street Fighter franchise and Marvel vs. Capcom cross-over hit. The latter presented a highly intriguing new take on gaming—and one of the first bridges between developer ‘universes’.
Best Indie Developer: Mojang & Innersloth
When it comes to indie developers, it’s a bit harder to gauge which is ‘the best’. That’s because each stands out in its own unique way, innovating with creative new ideas and takes on the medium. So let’s cover two examples that highlight just how groundbreaking indie developers can be.
First, let’s loop back to the Minecraft example mentioned above. The game was written by programmer Markus “Notch” Persson back in 2009 using JavaScript, then was officially re-released in 2011. The game allows players to create worlds of their own by developing and crafting unique landscapes out of pixelated blocks.
Minecraft began as a passion project and has since become the best-selling game in history with over 238 million copies sold. It spearheaded the sandbox era of gaming and has inspired a new generation of indie developers.
Then, there are developers like InnerSloth. These indie creators rose to fame back in 2018 with the release of Among Us. This simple game requires players to identify enemies in a space-themed mystery setting. The idea is incredibly simple, just like Minecraft, but is so well executed it became a knock-out hit.
This psychological element is what makes the game stand out, despite being rather basic in terms of graphics. This highlights how indie developers can innovate—simply through a fresh idea rather than millions of dollars in investment.
Best in VR & AR: Owlchemy Labs
VR has hit a few roadblocks over the last decade. These are primarily related to cost and functionality. However, as VR is starting to catch on with gamers, more developers are also pivoting to focus on VR releases. This is true for Owlchemy Labs, which has released some of the biggest VR hits like Virtual Rick-ality and Vacation Simulator.
Owlchemy Labs stands out not necessarily for its creative titles but for how well its games incorporate things like hand tracking. Rather than blast onto the scene with insane new games, Owlchemy is getting every little detail right along the way—and that translates to an incredibly satisfying and memorable gaming experience for those who may be hesitant to dive into VR.
As for Augmented Reality, few can hold a candle to Niantic Labs, which was behind the first big AR game to hit the market, Ingress, and then followed this up with the gaming sensation of 2016, Pokémon Go.
Read our article about Best Device for Playing Games also.
