Digital gaming and viewership of gaming video content (GVC) has become more popular amid the pandemic. In 2021, some of this activity will see modest growth, while interest in other forms of gaming will taper off.

We break down the metaverse and how it can define the future of computing, gaming, finance, social media, and business: AR and VR technologies, expanding virtual platforms and ecosystems, as well as an appetite for more immersive experiences are pushing the boundaries of reality into the virtual world.

The consumer VR headset market is poised to enter a renewed stage of competitiveness focused on creating digital ecosystems—Apple’s forte.

Microsoft acquires Activision Blizzard, publisher of Call of Duty and World of Warcraft: The $68.7 billion deal will create a gaming behemoth but could face regulatory roadblocks.

Mobile app gaming has managed to hold on to its pandemic-driven success and then some, reversing our previous predictions that time spent gaming with mobile apps would decline in the US after 2020.

Samsung smart TVs will bring video games to users this year: The connected TV (CTV) manufacturer partners with several game streaming services in a move that could spur similar features from rivals.

Among US gamers, PlayStation Now and Xbox Game Pass are the most popular video game subscription services, used by 21% and 18% of those ages 18 and older, respectively.

The takeaway: 2025 will be a big year for US-based chip manufacturing, and more companies could take advantage of cheap land and incentives to set up fabs. In context, the US Senate passed a bill to provide chip makers with $52 billion in subsidies last year, Washington's biggest industrial policy investment in decades.

The news: Oasis Consortium, a group of game developers and online companies envisioning an ethical and safe internet, are spearheading efforts to introduce safeguards and ethics in the metaverse and other VR environments.

On this special edition of the show, we're taking a look back at some of the most notable conversations we've had this year. In this episode, we discuss what the media world will look like by 2030 concerning digital ads, shopping, banks, pay TV, digital video, and esports.

We expect US VR headset users to increase from 28.3 million this year to 32.7 million by 2023.

Among US gamers, Facebook Gaming is the most popular destination for viewing live gameplay, with 42% watching esports and other gaming livestreams on the platform.

On today's episode, we discuss how Americans' attention shifted in 2021 (and what that means for the year ahead), the promise of ultra-fast delivery, the ideal amount of ads you should show viewers, whether gaming is more popular than TV for Gen Z, Facebook testing giving more control of the newsfeed to users, the office of the future, how far away the average American adult lives from their mother, and more. Tune in to the discussion with eMarketer analyst Blake Droesch and principal analysts at Insider Intelligence Suzy Davidkhanian and Paul Verna.

Gaming will make up the large majority of mobile app spending, report shows: Mobile game spending will increase 12.6% worldwide this year, but its overall share of in-app spending is on a slight decline.

This means doubling down on business laptops and gaming PCs, which are in high demand and can yield more profit since they are premium segments. Tablets will continue to be challenged, mostly by premium smartphones and notebook PCs. In context, Apple cut iPad production in half in Q3 to focus on iPhone 13, which is in much higher demand.

Gaming. Maturity, Iteration, and Market Sizing. Amazon’s gaming business is a tale of contrasts. On one side, its Twitch subsidiary is a pioneer and category leader in game-oriented streams and is expanding into a broader social video platform.

Creators now have more ways than ever to make a living online. This report explores how brands should approach and engage creators for partnerships in the new monetization ecosystem.

On today's episode, we discuss whether the metaverse is even a good idea, what comes after primetime advertising, how powerful gaming influencers are, what everyone is doing on their second screens while watching TV, dislike buttons getting the thumbs down, the best "working from somewhere" tips, a little-known secret about the Statue of Liberty, and more. Tune in to the discussion with eMarketer senior forecasting analyst Peter Vahle and principal analysts at Insider Intelligence Suzy Davidkhanian and Paul Verna.

Activision Blizzard faces calls from fans, shareholders, and industry figures for its CEO to resign: Widespread backlash against the gaming company suggests that consumers are paying more attention to corporate social responsibility and ethics.

Why this matters: Fortnite’s failure to launch in China is a red flag for global companies seeking to cash in on China's $45 billion gaming market, which is expected to hit $55 billion with 781 million gamers by 2025, per Niko Partners. The country’s regulators have not signed off on a single new video game release since July.