The COVID-19 pandemic is taking video games to the next level as sequestered people around the globe escape to gaming to cope with the stress of lockdown and social distancing. The global market for Video Games is projected to grow at a CAGR of 9.3% to reach a market size of US$293.1 billion by 2027, after recording the highest growth spike of 15.6% and 12.4% in 2020 and 2021 respectively. The pandemic and its lockdown measures have emerged to be a boon to the video games industry as user engagement with video games and eSports spirals. Several gaming companies worldwide have recorded unexpected increase in revenues over the last couple of months. Video games are a source of distraction for people of all age groupsand number of hours spent per day gaming has increased significantly with the onset of the disease pandemic. In the United Sates over 25% of consumers plan to increase their spending on online games, while a sizable 63% voice intentions of not reducing planned spends.With lockdowns resulting in cancellations of live sporting events, there has been a rise in gamers playing online basketball and baseball games such as NBA 2K17 and Major League Baseball (MBL). Accelerating existing trends in the gaming industry, the first few weeks of the lockdown witnessed demand for Nintendo Switch console spike, leaving the company scrambling to keep up with demand.Hardware spending on games is growing at rates higher than software spending indicating addition of new gamers and expansion of the gaming population.

Health experts are giving the go ahead sign for video games as a beneficial stress buster during COVID times. Video games during a pandemic such as the current one helps people self-manage their social needs. They also aid in promoting mental wellness by enabling people and communities toconnect thereby preventing anxiety and depression. At a time when socialization norms are being rewritten, socialization through games is emerging into the forefront as a good for you behavior. Although over the years, the number of game purchases has reduced, average spending per game however has recorded healthily increases. Game developers are therefore critically focusedon increasing even further engagement per user in hopes of driving in-game micro transactions. The gaming industry is therefore making a marked shift from single game purchases towardsa recurring revenue model supported by a base of active users.Growing prominence of video games as a form of modern artistic expression and entertainment and acceptance of video gaming as an educative and meaningful leisure activity represents a major change in consumer perception that has and will continue to help expand the audience base in the market. The educational value offered by video games is resulting in the creation of a new trend called "Gamification of Education", where games are used as valuable high-tech teaching tool to impart 21st century skills such as creative thinking, problem solving and collaboration.

The market will continue to benefit from rapid developments in hardware and software gaming platforms and effervescent investments in the development of new game genre, ideas and titles.Few of the factors responsible for improved player engagement and thereby the increase in the number of active gamers worldwide include launch of virtual reality headsets and smartglasses that lend visual realism to games; development of graphic-intensive games with more engaging and digitally immersive gameplays; rise of social games with viral connections for more continuous engagement; launch of games with no pre-defined ends, with ample in-game rewards and continuous offline evolution of game characters designed for addictive play style; "Always On" sensors in electronic wearables, the ensuing rise of video game enablement on wearables and design of micro-engagement models targeted at grabbing player attention for just few seconds for an extreme user engagement. Asia-Pacific including China will remain a large and growing market worldwide led by factor such as expanding base of affluent middle class population with a high degree of technological sophistication; strong penetration of smartphones, mobile Internet and the ensuing popularity of wireless games, browser based games and downloadable games; growing preference for interactive entertainment; and escalating popularity of social games, free-to-play games and pay-to-play games.