More than 200 attendees listened intently as Chris Klaus, Cls 96, discussed the future of video gaming at an event hosted by the Tech Computing Alumni Organization.
The event, held in the computing building named after Klaus, began with an introduction by new College of Computing dean Zvi Galil, in which he set a goal for pushing the college into a top-five national ranking. Galil stressed that alumni involvement would be key to that effort.
Klaus began his talk by showing a video for Kaneva, the free virtual 3-D world he built. Looking at the future of gaming, Klaus predicted a continuing shift away from standard platform titles retailing for $50 or more apiece.
“If you look at where video games are going, it’s into virtual reality,” Klaus said. “We’re just on the verge of seeing more simulation emerging.”
Klaus told attendees that augmented reality through programs such as Foursquare offered great opportunities for young developers. He also predicted a shift in the economics of video games.
“I believe all games will move to a freemium model,” he said. “It’s free to play, but they upgrade you on premium additions. What they see is people will spend more on those things.”
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