The COVID-19 pandemic—which saw rapid spread in 2020—significantly impacted the video game industry.[1] Most video game development studios shifted to remote work in order to continue production through pandemic lockdowns.[2] Many games were delayed as a result of changed working conditions,[3] though delays increased in the years following The lockdowns also caused increased interest and participation in online gaming,[4] player spending on microtransactions, viewership of video game live streaming,[5][6] a general spike in video game sales,[7] and served as an introduction to video games as a whole for many.[8] The World Health Organization (WHO) recommended video games as both a distraction from the pandemic and a method to connect with friends and family while practicing social distancing,[9] and roughly half of those who play video games reported increased playtime during the pandemic and considered the activity a source of stress relief and distraction.[10] Games such as Animal Crossing: New Horizons were praised for offering an "escape" from the pandemic,[11] and the rises in popularity for games such as Among Us were credited to the pandemic shutdowns.[12]
Khan, Imad (April 7, 2020). "Why Animal Crossing Is the Game for the Coronavirus Moment". The New York Times. ISSN0362-4331. Archived from the original on April 8, 2020. Retrieved January 20, 2023. Imagine escaping to an island paradise where bags of money fall out of trees and a talking raccoon can approve you for a mortgage. With the world in the grip of a pandemic, that's exactly the sort of escape that has captivated so many.
Hardawar, Devindra (March 16, 2020). "'Animal Crossing: New Horizons' is the island escape we all need today". Engadget. Yahoo!. Archived from the original on December 18, 2022. Retrieved January 20, 2023. That's a template the series has honed since its Nintendo 64 debut, and with New Horizons on the Switch, which lands on March 20th, it's evolved into a truly meditative and relaxing escape from reality. And honestly, that's just what we need today, as our society reshapes itself around the specter of a global pandemic.
Molina, Brett (March 24, 2020). "Why 'Animal Crossing: New Horizons' is the ideal video game escape right now". USA Today. Gannett. Archived from the original on September 17, 2022. Retrieved January 20, 2023. As we navigate a terrifying pandemic where even a trip to the grocery store can wrack our nerves, Nintendo's latest video game for the Switch is a sanctuary. It's joyful, simple and the ideal escape for our current climate.
Gault, Matthew (November 19, 2020). "A Much Needed Escape". Time. Archived from the original on November 30, 2020. Retrieved January 20, 2023. In the game, friends can also drop by for a visit—a rare, if virtual, comfort in these days of social distancing. Animal Crossing doesn't just offer escapism, though:
Says, Cannon (September 8, 2020). "Among Us' Improbable Rise To The Top Of Twitch". Kotaku Australia. Nine Entertainment. Archived from the original on September 9, 2020. Retrieved January 20, 2023. Among Us, in other words, spread like a virus. It's an apt point of comparison given the resurgence of party games like Jackbox, Fall Guys, and now Among Us have seen during a pandemic that's stranded everybody in their own homes, sans the regular social interaction that keeps us all from losing our minds.
Epstein, Adam (October 1, 2020). "How an obscure 2018 computer game became a global phenomenon overnight". Quartz. G/O Media. Archived from the original on October 2, 2020. Retrieved January 20, 2023. But because of a variety of factors—including the ease of learning it, and the coronavirus pandemic forcing quarantined consumers to find new ways to interact with their friends—the game has completely taken off.
Sands, Sean (September 23, 2020). "'Among Us' Is Not Just the Game of 2020, It's '2020: The Game'". Waypoint. Vice Media. Archived from the original on October 1, 2020. Retrieved January 20, 2023. That reassertion of the baseline may be the least 2020 part of the game. Among Us is steeped in the ratcheting of tension and sense of impending doom, even for the impostor who can see all those bothersome humans steadily making progress away from their well crafted doomsday. [...] Maybe that's the most important reason that Among Us is successful right now.
