The latest winner has been Logitech. Logitech is a gaming brand (though not primarily) specializing in gaming keyboards, mice, and joysticks. Gaming companies have been reporting higher earnings for a while now and it’s only natural.
Let’s look at what’s happening.
With more and more people living in their homes and spending less time outside, gaming in general has seen a leap of sorts—More players, more unique players, and increased gaming gear and hardware sales.
Those who are already hardcore gamers or esports personalities are getting even more time to hone their skills and improve their game. Esports tournaments are also seeing more incredible popularity and more eyeballs. It’s not rare to find people talking about gaming and gaming hardware in general on various forums and social media. This is a direct result of people spending more time online, talking about stuff they do and hobbies that they have.
As there is so much more focus surrounding gaming, hardware, and being online in this way, it is no surprise technology PR has played a vital part in marketing toward this newfound audience. The pandemic has certainly made gaming become a part of the lives of people who may not have shown too much interest before. Or perhaps have had some form of gaming hardware but looked to invest and upgrade as they tried something new.
This has also inspired a newfound energy in game development studios. In fact, many indie game development studios have cropped up, which is always a great sign. Yes, they might not have the best technologies and the most manpower to create lifelike effects as the AAA titles do – but ask yourself, is that more important? Isn’t a decent selection of variety, competition, and innovative games the more important goal?
As gamers, we often end up taking games for granted. Those who can spend the most on marketing and creating a social hype win. Those are the only games people find worth their time to talk about. Or at least, most of the people.
Discord communities, Steam forums, etc. are indeed places where all types of niche games get discussed. But the big titles always dwarf these discussions.
So, the pandemic has not only helped start new studios and given us more games, but even more gamers than before. By no means is the pandemic is a good thing, by the way.
And the more giant corporations who develop AAA game franchises are actually struggling. They have payrolls, strict timeframes, year-end goals, profits, and what not to take care of. The pandemic has most definitely impacted them negatively. Those are studios that can’t churn out the same kind of work if all their employees don’t put in the hours on their office workstations. How do you think, on the other hand, the current climate affects two guys passionate about building their own game? It gives them even more time to do it right.
With that in mind, if you also want to develop your own game and something has been holding you back, solve those problems, find new people or backers, and take a swing. It’s a great time for games!
