Gaming became a popular online activity during the pandemic. Growth may be slowing, but it’s not shrinking, meaning that the majority of those who picked up the hobby during the pandemic have become long-term users.

Metaverse hype may have died down, but tech companies are still investing in VR. And a crop of new devices will continue to expand audiences—albeit slowly.

Gamers who grew up on PC and console games are seeking sophistication in their mobile hybrid-casual games, AAA titles, and multiplayer mobile games. We dive into the future of gaming.

Microsoft’s attempt to acquire Activision Blizzard in what could essentially create a video game monopoly has many, including the Federal Trade Commission, keeping a close eye on the gaming industry. The $68.7 billion acquisition would give Microsoft a leadership position with franchises like Call of Duty, Candy Crush Saga, World of Warcraft, Diablo, and Overwatch.

FTC’s biggest antitrust test: Successfully blocking Microsoft’s $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard could define Lina Khan’s tenure in the FTC. A legal skirmish with Big Tech will be long and expensive.

Competition coming for the Switch: More powerful devices that can leverage 5G connectivity and vast libraries of popular PC and mobile games will be the foundation for next-generation handheld gaming.

Meta faces new challenges: ByteDance and Sony are building their VR ecosystems. This could be the perfect time for Meta to double down on its productivity and collaboration-focused metaverse

Sony expands its empire into mobile: Its latest acquisition will be a testing ground for in-game ads and mobile service games.

Brand interest in video games is rising, especially with the buzz around the metaverse. This report will look at the different ways developers monetize video games, and which of those methods are the most useful for marketers.

Sony’s service game push could be good for advertisers: The lucrative model could be a platform for its rumored ad program

Brands are unsure how—or if—to speak out about abortion: Some firms have taken strong stances, while others consider how to respond.

China’s zero-COVID policy hinders retailers at home and abroad: The mitigation measures put the brakes on both retail sales and manufacturing, which could have long-term implications.

Consumers are worried about the surge of ads in gaming: Xbox and Sony both have in-game ad programs in the works, and consumers aren’t thrilled.

Subscriptions are becoming increasingly important to the video game industry: That’s the lesson from Sony’s launch of its new service, which is set to take on Microsoft’s Game Pass.

ES: Pricing, performance, and ease of use dictated who owned the market in the early days of personal computing. Today, VR ecosystems and platforms continue that trend as the metaverse takes shape: Consumers, developers, and content producers will eventually decide the future of the metaverse, but they will be limited by hardware’s capabilities. We look at the state of VR hardware, the key players, and how gaming could serve as a gateway to VR/AR adoption.

New products and technologies announced at CES 2022: We break down outstanding trends and the most compelling Connectivity and Tech announcements from the show floor.

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

Twitch’s deal with the National Music Publishers’ Association must be the first of many: The platform will need to ink deals that actually let streamers use copyrighted music in order to fend off competitors and support its growing music community.

Sony integrates Discord: Two weeks after Microsoft’s efforts to buy Discord crumbled, Sony announced an investment in and partnership with Discord that will embed it in its gaming services.