As we’ve seen in the UK, now we’re seeing it in the US too. The lockdowns, the COVID-19 restrictions, the closure of many pubs, bars, nightclubs and other social venues – it’s changed our habits. We’re now spending more time indoors and, although we’re using social media more and more, we’re also playing more games.
In the USA, the video games industry has grown 50% since 2010, with a massive uptick in the last few months. That’s a total increase of $20 billion. Despite the industry actually expecting a decline of 0.4% for the year 2020, the last five years have shown an average growth of 12.1% per year between 2015 and 2020 instead. Not only that, but there’s no signs of this slowing.
The number of people that are employed as part of the industry has also dramatically increased over the last decade. In 2020 an estimated 241,389 people worked in the video game industry compared to less than 125,000 in 2010. In the last five years, the number of employed in the industry grew an average of 5% per year from 2010-2015. Employment growth is estimated to be at 2.3% for 2020. There’s now 42,438 businesses in the USA that fall under the gaming industry category compared to less than 10,000 in 2010.
We’ve seen smartphone games become wildly popular too. The top games currently in charts – such as Among Us, PUBG Mobile, Call of Duty Mobile, Minecraft, Clash of Clans and Fortnite – continue to pull in millions of players per week. Meanwhile, traditional card games like Solitaire, Blackjack and Poker, ride high in the charts too. Their relative simplicity and easy-entry means that people can learn before venturing more expansive offerings like Betway Casino, where over 100 card and casino games are available to players. It’s in big-name apps like this where things get interesting, as live poker games and live dealers are involved – raising the excitement and keeping you entertained.
Plus, of course, the benefit of the various casino games is that you can win real cash. However, as these games are available directly through the official app stores, there’s also the ability to set limits and stay in control of your gambling for safety. Here Betway88 ensures a safe environment for players so, no matter what you’re playing (roulette, slots, card games etc), you’re in control all the way.
With a second wave of COVID-19 on the way and more of us looking to stay at home again, there’s no doubt that the smartphone will be the go-to time filler for many. Whilst TV and film companies struggle to provide content, game developers have no such problems. The video game industry will continue to thrive, even through these uncertain times – even whilst our mobile phones become less “mobile” than they once were.
The coders can work remotely, continuing to develop even more games to keep us playing and entertained. Plus – with many offering online multiplayer functionality – we can stay in touch with the outside world too.