User:DecafPotato/drafts/2020s in video games

The 2020s are the sixth major decade in the history of video games.

2020
The COVID-19 pandemic—which saw rapid spread in 2020—significantly impacted the video game industry. Most video game development studios shifted to remote work in order to continue production through pandemic lockdowns. Many games were delayed as a result of changed working conditions, though delays increased in the years following The lockdowns also caused increased interest and participation in online gaming, player spending on microtransactions, viewership of video game live streaming,  a general spike in video game sales, and served as an introduction to video games as a whole for many. 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, 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. Games such as Animal Crossing: New Horizons were praised for offering an "escape" from the pandemic, Supported by multiple sources:


 * and the rises in popularity for games such as Among Us were credited to the pandemic shutdowns. Supported by multiple sources:
 * and the rises in popularity for games such as Among Us were credited to the pandemic shutdowns. Supported by multiple sources:
 * and the rises in popularity for games such as Among Us were credited to the pandemic shutdowns. Supported by multiple sources:
 * and the rises in popularity for games such as Among Us were credited to the pandemic shutdowns. Supported by multiple sources:
 * and the rises in popularity for games such as Among Us were credited to the pandemic shutdowns. Supported by multiple sources:
 * and the rises in popularity for games such as Among Us were credited to the pandemic shutdowns. Supported by multiple sources:
 * and the rises in popularity for games such as Among Us were credited to the pandemic shutdowns. Supported by multiple sources:
 * and the rises in popularity for games such as Among Us were credited to the pandemic shutdowns. Supported by multiple sources:



Ninth generation
The ninth generation of video game consoles