Impossible year

Reflecting on a terrible, yet undeniably transformative 12 months in games, and where it might lead

Hard to believe, but there was much to be optimistic about when 2020 began. Journey To The Savage Planet – yes, that really was this year – kicked January off in colourfully amusing fashion, while Kentucky Route Zero finally reached the end of the line, a mere seven years after the first of its five Acts was released. A little way over the horizon was the first Edge 10 in 18 months, as Media Molecule’s dazzling Dreams emerged from beta as both a co-operative creative tool par excellence, and a platform for artists to share their work with the world. And the much-anticipated Cyberpunk 2077 was just a few short months away. News was emerging of an outbreak of a novel coronavirus strain in Wuhan, but it was generally assumed that the outbreak would soon be under control. Then came fatalities and reports that the virus had spread overseas, and the mood changed.

Naturally, the videogame industry, like all others, was severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. As first social distancing measures and then lockdown regulations were put in place, supply chains were broken, while manufacturing slowed and, in some cases, ground to a halt entirely. Format holders and publishers alike were forced to hurriedly change or cancel long standing plans. Software and hardware releases were postponed, as distribution and certification hold-ups created further delays. And yet, unlike most other fields, the game industry largely remained in rude health throughout the year, and in some ways actively benefitted from the virus. With millions of people spending more time at home, many turned to games as an escape. Reports of yearon-year profit increases came regularly, and sales records were frequently broken.