2020s in video games

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 2020s is the sixth decade in the industry's history. The industry remains heavily dominated by the actions of Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft, but it remains unforeseen how their dominance will be affected by cloud gaming and the smartphone and tablet market. Virtual reality headsets are expected to become more popular over the course of the decade.[1] The industry was heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The ninth generation of video game consoles went on sale, beginning with the Xbox Series X and Series S and the PlayStation 5 (PS5).[2] Notable games released in the 2020s included Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Doom Eternal, Final Fantasy VII Remake, The Last of Us Part II, Ghost of Tsushima, Fall Guys, Hades, Genshin Impact, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Cyberpunk 2077, It Takes Two, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Resident Evil Village, Metroid Dread, Valorant, Forza Horizon 5, Horizon Forbidden West, Elden Ring, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Stray, Xenoblade Chronicles 3, Cult of the Lamb, God of War Ragnarök, Sonic Frontiers, Bayonetta 3, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, Hi-Fi Rush, Resident Evil 4 (2023), The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Mortal Kombat 1, Street Fighter 6, Baldur's Gate 3, Starfield, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Marvel's Spider-Man 2, Alan Wake 2, Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, Tekken 8, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Helldivers 2, Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree, Black Myth: Wukong, Astro Bot, Metaphor: ReFantazio, Marvel Rivals, Balatro, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, Split Fiction, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, Ghost of Yōtei, Arc Raiders, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, Pokémon Legends: Z-A, Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza, Hollow Knight: Silksong, and Resident Evil: Requiem.[3][4] Game development companies have come under increasing criticism for "crunch" practices, forcing workers to work long hours in the build-up to release.[5]

  • 2010s
  • 2020s in video games
Other topics in 2020s:

Consoles of the 2020s

Eighth generation consoles (2012–present)

Main article: Eighth generation of video game consoles
Nintendo Switch

The eighth generation of video game consoles, including the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 (PS4), and Xbox One, remain in widespread use. Cloud gaming services like Google Stadia and Amazon Luna are also part of the eighth generation. The Xbox One and Nintendo 3DS were both discontinued in 2020.[6][7] Stadia was shut down in 2023.[8]

Ninth generation consoles (2020–present)

Main article: Ninth generation of video game consoles

The ninth generation of video game consoles began with the release of the Xbox Series X, Series S, and PlayStation 5 in November 2020. The ninth generation offers faster computation and graphics processors, support for real-time ray tracing graphics,[9] output for 4K resolution, and in some cases, 8K resolution, with rendering speeds targeting 60 frames per second (fps) or higher.[10] Internally, both console families introduced new internal solid-state drive (SSD) systems to be used as high-throughput memory and storage systems for games to reduce or eliminate loading times and support in-game streaming. Standalone virtual reality headsets have also emerged with new entries in the Meta Quest line, HTC Vive XR Elite, and Apple Vision Pro all being introduced in the decade.[11][12][13] The Nintendo Switch 2, a successor to the Switch, was released in most territories on June 5, 2025.[14][15]

History

At the beginning of decade many events were severely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic of 2020 through 2022.[16][17][18][19][20][21] One early example in 2020 was the cancellation of that year's edition of the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3).[22] Summer Game Fest would emerge as a successor to E3, as the brand was retired in 2023.[23][24] Additionally, competitive gaming continued to gain mainstream appeal in the decade as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced the creation of the Olympic Esports Games and Saudi Arabia held the 2024 Esports World Cup (EWC).[25][26] There were setbacks however, as both the Overwatch League (OWL) and Major League Gaming (MLG) ceased operations.[27][28]

2020

Further information: 2020 in video games
See also: 2020 in esports

The COVID-19 pandemic—which saw rapid spread in 2020—significantly impacted the video game industry.[29] Most video game development studios shifted to remote work in order to continue production through pandemic lockdowns.[30] Many games were delayed as a result of changed working conditions,[31] though delays increased in the years following. The lockdowns also caused increased interest and participation in online gaming,[32] player spending on microtransactions, viewership of video game live streaming,[33][34] a general spike in video game sales,[35] and served as an introduction to video games as a whole for many.[36] The World Health Organization (WHO) recommended video games as both a distraction from the pandemic and a method to connect with friends and family while practicing social distancing,[37] and roughly half of those who play video games reported increased playtime during the pandemic and considered the activity a source of stress relief and distraction.[38] Games such as Animal Crossing: New Horizons were praised for offering an "escape" from the pandemic,[39] and the rises in popularity for games such as Among Us were credited to the pandemic shutdowns.[40]

2021

Further information: 2021 in video games
See also: 2021 in esports

The COVID-19 pandemic continued to make development difficult for many studios, however some had adapted well enough to the change. Games such as Hogwarts Legacy, Horizon Forbidden West, and God of War: Ragnarok were delayed past 2021 because of this. Additionally, Valve's Steam Deck was delayed into 2022. Gaming continued to gain popularity as platforms such as Steam reached record numbers.[41] Chip shortages caused the price of hardware to increase, particularity around graphics cards, not helped by some choosing to buy and markup cards. Subscription based models such as Xbox Game Pass and Nintendo Switch Online increased in popularity, allowing customers to pay a monthly fee for a wide selection of games.

2022

Further information: 2022 in video games
See also: 2022 in esports

Microsoft announced its intention to acquire Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion on January 18.[42] In response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, multiple video game companies suspended sales and operations in Russia and Belarus. A wave of mass layoffs in the industry began in 2022.[43]

2023

Further information: 2023 in video games
See also: 2023 in esports

2024

Further information: 2024 in video games
See also: 2024 in esports

2025

Further information: 2025 in video games
See also: 2025 in esports

2026

Further information: 2026 in video games

Notable video games of the decade

Notable franchises established in the 2020s

Notes:

  • 1Game franchises that also accompany major film or television franchises.
  • 2Game franchises that are considered spin-offs of previously established franchises.

Highest-grossing games

In popular culture

Film

See also: 2020s in film and List of films based on video games

Films based on video games in the decade include:

Television

See also: 2020s in television and List of television series based on video games

Television series based on video games in the decade include:

Hardware timeline

The following gallery highlights hardware used to predominantly play games throughout the 2020s.

Notes

References

Related Articles

Wikiwand AI