The World Locked Down and Logged On

When COVID-19 locked the world indoors in March 2020, the gaming industry experienced a surge that nobody had planned for but everyone needed. Animal Crossing: New Horizons launched five days after the US declared a national emergency, and its timing was so perfect it felt scripted. A game about building a peaceful island, decorating your house, and visiting friends became the emotional support animal for an entire planet. Among Us, a murder mystery game that had been out for two years with almost no players, suddenly exploded as people desperate for social interaction discovered that accusing your friends of being an impostor was the most fun you could have in quarantine. Twitch viewership doubled. Discord became essential infrastructure. Gaming went from something people did to something people needed — a social lifeline when every other form of gathering was banned. The era lasted roughly fifteen months, from the first lockdowns to the vaccine summer of 2021, and it permanently changed the industry's sense of its own importance.