The coronavirus is having an impact on day to day activities across the globe, and as the pandemic continues more and more indoor activities are being encouraged. The World Health Organization (WHO) is now recommending gamers stay indoors during the pandemic and play video games. While plenty of games are adjusting to the coronavirus, players won't need too much encouragement to stay at home and play their favorite titles.
WHO have put together a #PlayApartTogether campaign which encourages self-isolation, social distancing, and of course, gaming. To push this campaign WHO has enlisted the help of the CEO of Activision Blizzard and the CEO of Riot Games. The coronavirus is having an impact on the gaming industry, in both negative and positive ways, ranging from delayed games to more gamers on titles. With the importance of staying inside to slow the spread of the coronavirus already established, encouraging people to play video games in order to keep entertained will likely be beneficial for developers and players.
The CEO of Activision Blizzard, Bobby Kotick, has supported the initiative saying "It has never been more critical to ensure people stay safely connected to one another. Games are the perfect platform because they connect people through the lens of joy, purpose, and meaning. We are proud to participate in such a worthwhile and necessary initiative." The CEO of Riot Games, Nicolo Laurent, has also sent out a positive message "For Rioters, playing games is more than just a game; it’s a meaningful life pursuit. And now, for the billions of players around the world, playing games could help the pursuit of saving lives. Let’s beat this COVID-19 boss battle together.” There have been people who have used gaming to turn a bad situation into something good, and it is reassuring to see WHO and the industry support these endeavors.
The coronavirus pandemic is becoming increasingly serious and many will want to take proactive measures to avoid its spread. This includes developers who are asking teams to work from home and while this may lead to game delays in the wake of COVID-19, many will understand that the safety of staff comes first.
This is not the first time that Riot Games have taken action to combat the coronavirus; it has also donated 1.5 million dollars to COVID-19 relief. It seems that the developer is actively trying to help the situation and their donations and work with the World Health Organization are commendable. Activision Blizzard and Riot Games will likely be the first of many developers and publishers to join this initiative which encourages gaming and benefits society as a whole.