Gaming & Covid-19
With 2020 dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic, more than half of US and UK residents turned to video games to pass the time. According to Nielsen company SuperData’s 2020 year in review, 55% of people picked up video games in the US and research by Ofcom found that 62% of UK adults played some form of video game in 2020. While younger people are still substantially more likely to play games, there was an uptick across all age groups.
The presence of the pandemic saw that video games are no longer simply a hobby once regulated to teenage boys but has now become a popular form of social interaction. From communicating while streaming games on Twitch, playing multi-player games and enjoying the group chats in Discord. Additionally, along with the various streaming providers, video games were a major source of entertainment. According to SuperData, 66% of consumers aged 18-24 played more console games, while 60% played more mobile titles.
Image: WhiteLionGames, Instagram
The video game industry revenue was an estimated £130.5 billion in 2020 with £7 billion of this belonging to the UK. SuperData estimates that digital games alone earned over £90.2 billion over the course of the year. In 2020, the global number of gaming video content viewers surpassed 1.2 billion, up from 944 million in 2019. The most popular streaming platform to watch gaming live streams is Twitch, followed by YouTube Gaming and Facebook Gaming. During COVID-19, streaming platforms did not only reach new viewers but also increased the number of streamers putting out video content. The active number of streamers on Twitch stands at 9.36 million as of April 2021, compared to 7.2 million streamers a year ago and 3.9 million in January 2020.
Gaming in a post-Coronavirus society
SuperData predicts that the habits we built in lockdown are here to stay, extending to our relationships with video games. According to data from MejoresApuestas.com, the number of gamers in Europe is forecast to jump by more than 351 million by 2023. The pandemic boosted the growth of the European gaming market with more than 51 million starting gaming, taking the total number to 329.5 million in 2021. The user growth is expected to increase to over 367.4 million by 2025 and revenue is predicted to grow by £359.2 million to £14.52 billion in the next two years.
Image: dannflor.games, Instagram
Gaming with Majority
Whether you’re a gaming newbie or a veteran player, quality sound is key for the ultimate gaming experience. Check out Majority’s top gaming equipment to kick off your gaming life.
Majority D40 Bookshelf Speakers
Gamer for Life? It’s never been a more exciting time to be part of the gaming community. So, join the thrilling gaming world with the Majority D40’s surround sound to make you feel like the ultimate warrior or king of the castle.
Majority RS Pro Condenser Microphone
The ideal upgrade for the experienced gamer, or gaming streamer, the Majority RS Pro has everything you need for high-quality recordings. Featuring everything from pop filters to foam covers, the RS Pro delivers flawless vocals, plus comes with a lightweight carry case for gaming on the go.
Majority Snowdon Bluetooth Soundbar
With a striking 120W speaker and a built-in subwoofer, the Majority Snowdon is our bestselling soundbar. Delivering surround sound, you’ll experience gaming in cinematic glory. Offering customised sound settings, you can tailor the audio between music, movies and dialogue to suit the game all from an easy-to-use remote control.
What do you love about gaming? Whether you’re playing a one-person army or you’re surviving an apocalypse, we want to know all about your Majority experience. Tag us on social media with @majorityaudio #majorityaudio #carbonneutralaudio
