Fortnite – 2020 Reminded Us That Gaming Is More Than Fortnite And Being Yelled At By 10-Year-Olds
You don’t need to be a dab hand at Call of Duty to enjoy the hobby, nor do you need to know what Slurp Juice is.
There was a time not so long ago when it felt like gaming was for everybody. Everyone wanted an SNES. Every wanted a PS1. When you busted out the Nintendo Wii, even your grandma could get involved. However, in recent years, it feels like that has been left behind somewhat. Gaming hadn’t necessarily become a closed society, but it felt like it was either something you had to be fully invested in or not at all.
It has taken a pretty terrible year during which the world has been gripped by a pandemic to change that. As many of us have been forced to stay at home, desperately looking for something to pass the time, many who wouldn’t have otherwise considered doing so have turned to video games. In doing so, they have discovered that you don’t need to be a dab hand at Call of Duty to enjoy the hobby, nor do you need to know what Slurp Juice is.
Animal Crossing Was The People’s GOTY
Video games can be enjoyed and played by anyone. As suggested above, Nintendo has typically been the best company at making people realize that. It’s why in a year where PlayStation and Xbox released new consoles, the Switch continues to break records and bust down doors. It also helped that Animal Crossing was released just as lockdowns came into play around the world. New Horizons has sold more than 25 million copies since then.
You also don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars on a console to be a gamer. Pokemon Go is a mobile game and it’s absolutely free. You might have assumed back in March that a game designed to be played outside would have suffered this year. Quite the contrary. 2020 has been Pokemon Go’s best year ever. The changes Niantic applied worked wonders, and clearly ushered in a whole new group of trainers over the course of the year.
Falling And Dancing Is Gaming Too
One of the biggest games of the year was also free-to-play for its first month. Fall Guys was the unmitigated game of the summer and is one I have personally played with various friends and family members, some of which don’t play video games at all. Move the bean, make it jump, and occasionally dive and grab. It couldn’t be simpler and is the perfect game to play with people who don’t game at all.
Ubisoft’s final quarter of 2020 has been a big one. Watch Dogs: Legion, Immortals Fenyx Rising, and the big one, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. While there was no stopping Valhalla from being Ubisoft’s best-seller, a shock entrant has come in at number two. Just Dance 2021. The title has sold 35% better than its predecessor and would have been the perfect game to play on Christmas Day for those lucky enough to have spent it with their loved ones.
Games like Fortnite have dominated the gaming landscape for a number of years, at least when it comes to what is seen in the mainstream. That will have driven casual and non-gamers away. However, the titles mentioned above and so many more combined with what has been a tough year for so many has brought those people back, along with so many new ones. Video games aren’t just about shooting and fighting. They’re about farming, dancing, catching Pokemon. Honestly, they can be about pretty much anything. Chances are there is a game or even an entire genre of game out there for you. Hopefully, you have discovered that this year.
About The Author
