From January to December, Kurt recaps what life was like as a gamer in this whirlwind of a year. Being a gamer in 2020, despite the harrowing forces of COVID-19, was actually a pretty remarkable year. Considering our collective confines of quarantine, it gave gamers a chance to do what they love most–play more games! Games like Animal Crossing gave a sense of normality and routine that escaped many people’s lives, while DOOM Eternal was a cathartic release of tension through extreme violence and slick metal riffs.
Still, being a gamer in 2020 wasn’t without its woes. Due in part to the global pandemic, many major game releases were delayed like The Last Of Us Part II and Halo Infinite. But no delay was more devastating than Cyberpunk 2077, which was pushed back on three separate occasions throughout the year. Thankfully, there was plenty to hold us over between games like Ghost of Tsushima, Half-Life: Alyx, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, and Yakuza: Like A Dragon (just to name a few).
On the other hand, gaming had unexpected impacts on culture, transcending mere entertainment, and becoming a vessel for many politicians. President elect Joe Biden used Animal Crossing to promote US citizens to vote, while congresswoman AOC made her streamer debut with Among us. Meanwhile, Fortnite held a digital Travis Scott concert.
This year also saw the launch of the next generation of gaming with the PS5 and Xbox Series X. It’s been a mammoth of year to be a gamer, and Kurt tackles all of that and more in this video.