- Coronavirus is having a big impact on the world, including the games industry.
- While online games are more likely to be played and supported during a quarantine, their reliance on servers might be an issue.
- With some smart decisions on the part of Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo digital gaming could take a big step forward.
The coronavirus pandemic is affecting every single aspect of our lives. As folks hole themselves up in their homes, multiplayer gaming will also be affected. More and more people are likely to be gaming over the next few months.
While that might sound like a good thing, there are some potential downsides. The fundamental dichotomy between single and multi-player gaming might be changed forever.
Multiplayer games are almost certainly going to experience a boost from coronavirus. As people become starved of social interaction or just plain bored they’re likely to boot up their favorite online games to play.
As well as being played, These online games can be supported monetarily through micro-transaction . Owing to the low price of individual micro-transactions, these games should continue to see a profit.
Single-player games, on the other hand, rely more on outright purchases, bar any sort of DLC. With coronavirus keeping people at home and the delivery network tied up, physical sales are going to fall. Not to mention the high upfront cost of a single-player game.
High Player Numbers Also Bring Their Fair Share of Problems
Coronavirus might bring online games more players, but there’s no guarantee that these games are ready for that. With a high potential number of players, game servers are going to be under a lot of strain. Some might go down altogether, at least for a while.
On the other hand, you can get most games digitally these days. Single-player games do not usually rely on internet access. No servers to go down. If Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo do the right thing, they could see a massive amount of digital sales over the next few months.
No matter the short term effects of coronavirus, it is certain that the world will be changed by it forever. Whether you’re talking about the way that governments respond to viral outbreaks or just the way that the games industry conducts business. Nothing is going to be the same once this particular pandemic threat passes.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of CCN.com.
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