Talking about video games is still something for “young people”. It is one of those words that tends to divide the conversation into two profiles: those who see it as something far away, and quickly fall into generalities to say that it does not suit them; and those who believe in it, feel it close by and think that time is running in their favor. I find myself in this second group, despite the fact that my years to play have passed a while ago.
Let’s talk about a new record to understand the order of magnitude. Among Us has undoubtedly been the game of the year 2020. An online multiplayer game in which four to ten people can be playing the game. One or two of them are chosen as enemies and must end the lives of the others. In principle, nobody knows who the enemies or impostors are. The game is simple: basic controls and graphics that do not seek so much realism as practicality and fun. All other players must dedicate themselves to solving tasks on the ship to win. You have to discover who is the one who is killing and the impostor must go unnoticed, looking innocent at all times. The innocent win when they find out who the enemy is.
Well, this simple game, according to a report from the specialized portal SuperData, it broke the record for monthly active players per month last November, reaching 500 million active users. Fortnite, a game that probably sounds more familiar to you, has about 350 million a month. The news was accompanied by a long report on the monetization of the game. And of course, these millionaire audiences also usually bring millionaire income. However, this is not the case for a video game that was created in 2018 by three people. I repeat: it is three years old, and it was created by three people. It is undoubtedly one of the main messages of this digital age: talent can generate great results with determination and success.
Various personalities, such as Ibai Llanos, Pau Gasol or Neymar, frequently play this game. The congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, which many give a high probability of one day becoming a Democratic candidate, and therefore, president of the United States, played in October a game that reached the third highest number in history in terms of broadcasts live: 500,000 spectators saw her play on this ship. The video recording on Twitch, the streaming platform, accumulates millions of views. Alexandria spent three and a half hours playing.
Beyond a personal interest in the game, the fact that these millionaire audiences are reaching video games should make us think about the most sociological part. It is logical to think that young audiences are especially concentrated in these spaces. Groups that, instead of watching ordinary television, are here focusing their attention. I always wonder how much is understood of this magnitude. And how much room for creativity and innovation is still left in these places where so many people are synchronously interacting while enjoying the leisure of others. I guess a century ago, when soccer was growing, columns like this would be written. Warning of the social phenomenon that could become. As they say about football: it is the most important of the unimportant. The same may be happening with video games.
The same SuperData report cited above confirmed what we said at the beginning of this article. Video games do not stop growing. In November 2020, latest figures available, digital editions of the games generated $ 11.5 billion, thus registering the highest monthly income in history. This is 15% more than in the same period of 2019.
A growth that has not yet seen its rhythm diminish, much less its ceiling yet glimpsed. A world yet to discover.