Pandemic, protest and identity

 The pandemic had a huge negative economic on the UK, with industries such as catering and hospitality suffering the most. However, video games industry thrived throughout the pandemic. The gaming population in the UK increased.

In 2020 more than 36million users

34% prefer fighting games over other genres during the global pandemic.

almost 91% of respondents in the UK say they love playing solitaire 

Animal crossing and the pandemic

Video games became so popular in the pandemic because people were stuck in doors and were unable to go out so new people who wouldn't usually play games decided to give it a try to cure boredom of being stuck indoors.

Animal crossing became so popular because it allowed people to share an experience with each other and be sociable whilst everyone was stuck indoors.

How could people learn about themselves through video games in the pandemic

Boredom

Routine- structure

Escapism- the islands with villager friends is miles away from the drudgery and isolation of lockdown

Social- a way of interacting in a simulated space

Identity- through interacting with villagers, online friends and game systems, players can learn something about themselves

David Gauntlett- Theory of identity

Audiences gain a sense of identity from media products that they consume. In traditional media products that they consume. In traditional media representations were commonly much more binary such as representations of gender.

There will be weakness and limitations when applying any theorists as they have not designed it especially for news, film, tv, videogames

Animal crossing contains a diverse range of characters anthropomorphized as animals. Representation still matters despite the cartoon visuals.

BLM rallies in Animal crossing allowed people to showcase their views and their political ideas during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Nintendo switch console has a screenshot button which allows people to share their ideas and thoughts and feelings in the game.