Games Helped Us During the Pandemic, and We Returned the Favor
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on all aspects of life, including mental health. Many people felt isolated, anxious, and stressed, as they grappled with changes to their daily routines and social lives. People sought out new ways to stay connected to each other, and many found comfort in video games.
With lockdowns and social distancing measures in place, human connection was harder to find. Games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons gave people a cozy and self-paced way to spend their free time by shaking fruit down from trees and decorating (and redecorating, and redecorating) our islands. Among Us peaked in popularity during the pandemic. With its simple design and concept, the game might appear underwhelming just by looks, but the infinite ways to deceive or work together with friends and strangers made it a go-to game if you were looking for a good laugh or challenge. Among Us has continued to provide us with clips of hilarious content beyond the pandemic, but it truly provided at a time when we needed it most.
Although it may have been hard to stay at home during the lockdown, it wasn’t all bad for the gaming industry. The pandemic has led to an increase in video game sales and revenue. In 2020 there was a reported 27% increase in video game sales. This showed the world that the industry is a worthy investment, and not just for kids. This surge in demand has led to new opportunities for game developers and studios, who were able to create and release new games during the pandemic. Kickstarter saw a huge increase of $6.6 million in funding for video games from 2019-2020. This was a huge hike compared to the $500,000 increase from 2018-2019 and was a stark difference to the $1.5 million drop from 2017-2018. Whether it was the extra time developers might have had (for better or for worse) or the peak in video game interest that spurred new ideas, the industry flourished in a time that was quite uncertain for many others. For those that love the industry, this was a bit of good news after so much darkness.
The circumstances certainly could have been better, but the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic did help remind us that video games can have a positive effect on the world, even when times are at their worst. In the end, we were better off thanks to video games, and our support helped propel the industry forward.
I would love to hear how video games helped this community through tough times, lockdown or otherwise, let me know in the comments!
