BERKELEY, Calif. — Even before the coronavirus forced the world indoors and glued millions of people to their screens, 2020 was shaping up to be a huge year for gaming.
Microsoft is set to release a new Xbox in November, and Sony is expected to introduce the next iteration of its PlayStation this holiday season. Both are big draws for video gamers eager to fire up the newest version of Halo or Spider-Man as they wait out the pandemic.
And as the ninth generation of consoles approaches, the cancellation of in-person events has created a surge of interest in gaming and is likely to juice their sales — even as their availability is expected to be limited by supply chain problems caused by the pandemic.
Many things are taking place:
NPD: Video Game Sales Jumped 37% in August – Media Play News
Video game sales remain on a roll with revenue from packaged media, digital, consoles and accessories up 37% in August to $3.33 billion, compared with $2.43 billion in the previous-year period, according to new data from The NPD Group. Through eight months, sales are $29.38 billion, up 23% from $23.88 billion in the same period a year ago.
Video games, compared with other forms of home entertainment, have resonated strongly with consumers during the coronavirus pandemic. After nearly two years of downward revenue trends, sales of games and hardware jumped 73% and 52%, respectively, in April and May. That was followed by increases of 26% and 32%, respectively, in June and July.
Managing screen time and playing video games
Tencent Games: All the video games that could be banned – Film Daily
On Aug. 6, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that targeted Tencent & Bytedance, two Chinese technology companies. The executive order affects both TikTok, owned by Bytedance, and WeChat, owned by Tencent.
Tencent has stakes in many popular video game companies that own games that are massively popular. The news of this executive order could threaten many popular games from being played in the U.S. Here are some of the games that could be in trouble due to Trump's executive order.
While you're here, how about this:
Shady Contracts, Raw Deals: Inside the Industry of Managing Video Game Stars | WIRED
Something about Novaruu looked like dollar signs from the moment she landed on Twitch. Blonde and with a radiant smile, Novaruu, then 19, had been gaming and hanging out with her growing fanbase for only a few weeks when she began receiving messages from entrepreneurial viewers offering to get her "deals"—vague promises to connect her with a capital-b Brand.
"I was paying Spire $100 to $130 a month out of my own pocket and not even getting a brand deal every month," says Novaruu. "I wasn't comfortable with that." (Spire did not respond to WIRED's requests for comment.)
GTA publisher expects Xbox 'to do very well' this console generation | VGC
"So far it looks to me as though they’re both approaching this launch very aggressively. We’ve always worked happily with both parties. We would like to see both be very successful.
“In certain parts of the world, as you know, Sony had a preferred position last time around. I think Microsoft is working very, very hard to see that that’s not repeated. I think it will be a challenge in Asia, where Sony’s dominated. But if I had to guess, I think Microsoft is going to do very well."
Riders Republic Brings Rampage & Joyride to Video Games | BIKE Magazine
But we haven't seen an action-sports MMORPG. Not until this weekend when French video game developer, Ubisoft announced Riders Republic with this pretty bonkers preview trailer. Ubisoft is best known for games like Assassin's Creed, Prince of Persia and the Tom Clancy series, and based on revenue, is the world's fifth largest publicly traded game company.
As is the case with many new game releases, details are sparse right now. All we know is that the online community of players will be a primary component of Ride Republic's gameplay. Up to 50 players at once can participate in the same race or event, there will be team-based and individual competitions, and to suit the "RPG" part of the MMORPG approach to mountain biking, there appears to be some sort of progression involved in equipment or skills.
Super Mario 35th Anniversary: How to Play the Classic Video Games | PEOPLE.com
New games, products and events will be released for the anniversary, and they can all be played for $100 or less
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Ahead of the classic video games' 35th anniversary on Sunday, the Japanese company announced in a video presentation that it will be releasing several games, products and events from now through March 2021 — and they're sure to excite fans of any generation.
"We look forward to everyone joining us on a Mario journey 35 years in the making," Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser said in a statement. "We are marking this significant milestone with a wide variety of games and experiences that all generations of Mario fans, from here to the Mushroom Kingdom, can enjoy together."
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