The end of 2020 marked a major turning point for the video game industry on numerous fronts: The precipitous rise in popularity of - and participation in - esports (bolstered, in part, by stay-at-home orders due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the vacuum left behind by the loss of more traditional entertainment options) the overall increase in numbers in the industry’s player base, including from first-time players the growth of downloadable games and the dawn of the next generation of gaming, with the introduction of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S.
