by Marilla Mulwane

Created on: February 25, 2013

Video game trends are forever changing. Something that was popular last year is considered old this year. This is due in part to growth in technology. Also, companies try figure out how to keep players interested in gaming while also keeping them happy with what they already know and love. Which is why some of the latest trends in video games are simply updates of what's been around for some time, while others are new thanks to new technology.

Plenty of sequels

Why create something new when something old still works? Many of the most popular games today are sequels of an already beloved franchise. Halo, Call of Duty, and Devil May Cry are excellent examples. These franchises continue to sell the characters and general game play of the series, but thanks to new technology, they seem a bit a different each time.

First-person shooters

It seems that the only style of game that gets releases anymore are first-person shooters. Stick a gun in someone's hands that appear to be floating on screen, and the game will sell. The most obvious examples are Halo and Call of Duty. Since the release of the first games in these series, the FPS craze has been nonstop. It doesn't matter if gamers say it's time for something new, which it is, FPS still keeps coming.

Online multiplayer

Now that consoles can connect to the Internet, and require connectivity to the Internet, a whole new range of game play has been invented with it. Players can now play against each other without having to be in the same room, or town, or state. More and more video games have come from this. There are games created just for the online multiplayer game play, such as World of Warcraft, but even games that were designed as one-player games oftentimes have an added online multiplayer feature.

Downloadable content and downloadable games

More and more games are releasing online only and not on discs. This has advantages and disadvantages. The good is the cheaper price and not having to store game cases. The bad is the lack of marketing, so many games go unnoticed, and fear of console crashes and not being able to re-download a game no longer available. Downloadable content is also becoming very popular. Every game has something extra that players can download, from clothing to weapons. It's a sneaky way to get more money out of players who already spent $60 on a game.

Casual gaming

With the birth of the Wii, iPad, and Facebook, just about anyone can play video games. Casual gaming has grown immensely the last few

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