After a coronavirus outbreak forced the postponement of their La Liga match, two Spanish footballers took to the controls of “FIFA 20” and played in front of a stadium-sized online audience.
As the so-called “real world” disintegrates, an increasing number of people seek distraction, entertainment, and camaraderie from internet servers. This is one of the factors influencing the phenomenal growth that the digital gaming industry is currently experiencing.
Real Betis striker Borja Iglesias scored the game-winning goal against Sevilla using a computerized version of himself. The goal by Iglesias proved decisive in the game. Twitch, a popular platform for live-streaming video games, broadcast the entire battle.
It occurred at the same time as the first scheduled derby before Spain’s premier tournament was postponed as part of containment measures that have largely confined the country’s 46 million residents to their homes. It was prior tobefore the postponement of Spain’s premier tournament due to containment measures. It was supposed to happen at the same time as the first derby.
“We do all of this to entertain all of you so that you can be at home enjoying it, as far as that is possible with this epidemic,” the show’s host told his 60,000-person audience. “We will do everything we can to entertain everyone so that you can enjoy it at home as much as possible during this epidemic.” “All of this is done to entertain each and everyevery one of you,” the host went on.
Many countries have reported cases of COVID-19 infection, and as a result, many of the world’s largest cities have been forced to close almost completely as a direct result of the disease’s frantic containment efforts.
Many people who are irritated by the restrictions placed on their movement, the cancellation of numerous public events, and the never-ending barrage of news about the epidemic have discovered that playing at online casinos is a pleasant diversion for them.
“It made me feel less depressed about being in such a small space for such a long time,” Yang An, who was quarantined for two weeks after returning to Shanghai from her hometown in China a month ago, said. “It made me feel less depressed about spending so much time in such a small space,” Yang An said. “It helped me feel less down about my situation.” Yang An stated that he was “less unhappy about being confined to a small location for an extended period” as a result of the experience.
She told AFP that she used to pass the time by playing games on her Nintendo Switch handheld system for up to eight hours a day, which helped her forget about the wait.
Demand has increased
Internet service providers have been working tirelessly to improve the security of their networks in response to the ever-increasing demand for internet access.
Within just one week, Verizon, an American telecommunications company, reported a “record” 75 percent increase in gaming traffic on its network. This increase comes after the company previously announced a 50% increase in gaming traffic on its network.
Furthermore, software firms have been working around the clock to meet the demands of an unprecedented number of clients.
After instructing its employees in various parts of the world to work from home, Rockstar Games, the publisher of the action-adventure video game “Red Dead Redemption,” made a promise to its player base that it would ensure the flawless operation of its online servers.
The company also hinted at the addition of new in-game activities as a way to keep gamers confined to their homes and glued to their controllers. This is done to keep players engaged in the game.
Christian McCrea, a media studies lecturer specializing in games at RMIT University in Australia, believes that online gaming communities have the potential to “recreate some of the public space that’s been lost” as a result of the pandemic. He attributes this to online gaming communities’ ability to “recreate some of the public space that has been lost.”
He used Pokemon Go as an example, a mobile game that gained worldwide popularity in 2016 after encouraging millions of people to go outside and hunt for fictitious monsters. He claimed that the game was successful because it encouraged people to exercise. The game’s developer made changes in the last month that made it easier for fans to play the game from the comfort of their own homes.
Significant impact on the situation
McCrea predicted that people’s gaming habits would change dramatically in the coming weeks and months, increasing the risk of prolonged social isolation and increased economic insecurity.
According to the information he provided to AFP, “the overall greatest impact would be younger children staying at home for months on end with their parents out of work.” “Games will consume a significant portion of both their work and leisure time,” writes the author.
Many people assumed for a long time that playing video games was the primary cause of a wide range of negative health consequences, such as repetitive motion injuries and vision problems.
In 2018, the World Health Organization classified compulsive video game playing as a diagnosable mental illness. In the same year, China began cracking down on the gaming industry, citing concerns that young people were spending too much time online. These restrictions were primarily aimed at the youth of the country.
However, it appears that seasoned gamers are suddenly among those best prepared to deal with the pandemic and its consequences in everyday life. The situation has taken an ironic turn.
Last week, Twitch streamer “Loeya” informed her over one million followers that travel restrictions and school closings in her home country of Sweden and elsewhere were unlikely to affect the majority of her time spent at home playing video games. Loya was born in Sweden.
“Technically, I self-quarantined myself about three years ago,” the young man, now 22, said with a smile.
