COVID-19 has helped transform video games from solitary closed-platform experiences into community-focused group activities, according to new research from SuperAwesome. To keep up with this shift, gaming companies need to update their content with a focus on social interactions, while prodcos could benefit from understanding how this rise in gaming is changing content demands.
From Lil Nas X’s concert in Roblox to Fortnite’s real-time movie screenings, games are increasingly becoming places where kids can meet and be social, doubling as networks over which they can connect with their friends at a distance. One in five US kids are using the in-game chat function while they play, the report has found. And there’s a big opportunity for child-friendly services at older-skewing platforms like Discord and Houseparty, as kids are using these services to…

