We all are aware that the pandemic has affected every industry across the globe. People have faced a lot, and in the past year and a half, some countries dealt with the lockdown. While being at home, people have turned to the internet and video gaming as a source of boredom, entertainment, and relaxation. The video game industry is one of those few industries that have jumped during this covid-19 pandemic. It is by far the biggest year for video games.
In the midst of a pandemic, people have shifted themselves to digital entertainment due to the lockdown. More and more people are playing video games than ever before. During the Covid-19 lockdown, we have seen an increase in the number of hours’ millions of people spent in front of screens and trying new digital activities. There is a significant increase in the number of active players online every day. Let us see some of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Gaming Industry.
COVID-19 has increased video gaming audience
The COVID-19 lockdowns have increased the number of user engagements with video games. The video games industry like Tencent, Microsoft, Verizon, Nintendo, and Twitch have grown in the pandemic. Video games released during the pandemic have produced revenues on a high level. Millions of people have left with few entertainment options because of home quarantine and stay-at-home orders by governments, and video gaming is one of the best spots for all people.
People are looking for ways to kill time and to occupy themselves to not think about the covid-19 pandemic. Video gaming and esports have created a distraction that was much needed, says Williams, who provides help with java homework services. More than 70% of people have started playing video games and watching gaming video content. Games and esports do bring some light to people amid the stress they are facing. Do you know more than 50% of U.S. consumers were playing video games because of the Covid-19?
TV-Based Gaming
The TV-based gaming industries are Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft. According to The Washington Post, the number of users for Microsoft’s game has passed 10 million in April 2020. Microsoft reported an increase of 130 percent in multiplayer matches across March and April. It experienced around a 40 percent increase in profits. Nintendo has also seen a rise during its first quarter. Nintendo has sold more than 20 million copies of Animal Crossing: New Horizons after its release.
For billions of users around the world, video games could help the pursuit of saving lives, says Nicolo Laurent, CEO of Riot Games. During the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 70% of respondents said they had played video games with an average of 14 hours a week of play, compared with an average of 12 hours a week from a year ago.
PC Gaming
More and more console gamers have made the switch to a dedicated gaming monitor to pair with their Xbox One or PS4 to take advantage of PC gaming features. People are playing video games, now more than ever. The enormous growth in gaming in lockdown opens opportunities for gaming companies to do their part, says Brian, who provides pay for research paper services.
Tencent’s online games earnings increased by around 30 percent. Steam, a popular PC gaming platform, has also experienced a great increase in its user engagement with over 20 million people in March. Steam’s daily users are up 35% in March and April. We have seen a good engagement of active users in Twitch, the most popular video streaming platform. It has more than 15 million active users on daily basis and 3 million monthly creators.
Mobile Gaming
Mobile gaming has seen an increase in engagement and revenues as a result of the COVID-19 measures. It has estimated to generate a massive profit of more than $70 billion in 2020. Families have been playing mobile games across generations. Mobile gaming-related apps like Twitch and Discord have marked download spikes. There are many reasons why mobile experienced more growth than both PC and console gaming, says Tom, who provides do my physics homework service.
Over 50% of the world’s population owns a smartphone, and most mobile games are free to play, or some of these games have the lowest prices you need to pay to play. The mobile platform is less complicated and requires less amount of investment as compared to the PC platform. Mobile gaming is a lot more convenient unlike PC gaming as players can easily play their favorite video games anytime anywhere.
Video Gaming Companies providing relief
A review of the last months of efforts and activity shows that the gaming industry is building awareness and help people hit by the pandemic. Esports franchise Tempo Storm hosted a live-stream event to raise money for charities, including Feeding America, a network of food banks, and CARE, a humanitarian organization providing disaster relief to areas in need.
Sony established a $100 million Global Relief Fund for Covid-19 to help those working in education, frontline medical, and support for employees in the entertainment industry at large. Rockstar Games promised to donate 5% of revenues from purchases in GTA Online and Red Dead Online during April and May to help local communities during the crisis.
Conclusion
The COVID-19 lockdowns have quickly increased the number of hours spent in front of screens for many people. Millions of people are trying new digital activities to kill time and even to earn their living. We know that the gaming business has increased its spike since the covid-19 pandemic. Given the covid-19 pandemic and lockdown, it is expected that the video games industry will continue its growth in an upward trend. The people are playing video games than ever being locked down at home. The video gaming company’s relief funds are helping people in crisis during covid-19.