For 2020, some of the companies that make the most money from video games are preparing a whole slew of new titles. Some of them have been in development for years. This has become a norm for the modern gaming industry, much to the chagrin of the fans. They have no choice but to wait until the developers polish their products. Although there have been some massive failures in this decade, the industry, on the whole, is doing great. In 2019, it raked in around $138.7 billion in revenue. 2020 promises to be even bigger, with a projected 9.6% increase to around 152.1 billion.
Gaming Platforms
Before we dive into new titles, we thought that the market share of different platforms deserves a closer look. If you are planning on getting some new gear in 2020, this will help you decide which road to take. Unsurprisingly, the mobile segment remains the leader with 36% of the market share. That is more than a third of total gaming revenue and it explains why developers are scrambling to get more games on the market. Consoles hold second place, with 32%. Downloaded and boxed games for PC are third, at 21%. Tablet games hold 9% of the market, while browser games are last, at just 2%.
Strategy
The strategy will remain one of the most popular genres in 2020 if these titles have anything to do with it. First, we have much-awaited Crusader Kings 3. You get to control a medieval dynasty from the Viking Age to the Fall of Byzantium. Family treachery, insubordinate vassals and greedy opponents are just some of the obstacles on your road to greatness. Despite those obstacles, you have to carve your own empire in the chaos of the Dark Age. The next title is from another timeframe. Total War Saga: Troy takes you to ancient Greece as Agamemnon prepares to invade Troy. Beautiful Helen started a chain of events that will lead to the downfall of the legendary city. Unless you can do to stop it, that is. Finally, we have something a bit different. Iron Harvest has been in development for years, releasing several teaser trailers that caused much interest. The steampunk strategy takes you to an alternative timeline. The year is 1920 and the war is conducted with huge steam-powered mechs.
Online Games
The developers of online games haven’t been idle also. Several big titles are coming out in 2020 that threaten to snatch a piece of the pie from games like Dota 2 and League of Legends. In recent years, we have witnessed a huge bump in the popularity of iGaming titles. Especially interesting are some of the new and amazing online slot games that are being released in 2020. They promise massive rewards and bonuses to the players. Piggy Riches has been thoroughly reworked in January and will surely be a popular choice. Kraken is one of the new titles, featuring excellent graphics and new exciting game modes. Pop Rocks, with an RTR of 96.8%, will be released in March of 2020. The retro Neon Rush Splitz is scheduled for April, a second game using Splitz engine. These are just some of the titles that are promising to shake the world of online casinos.
Action
We kick off the action segment with Marvel’s Avengers, developed by Crystal Dynamics. The defenders of Earth are in for another adventure and you get to help them in their mission. Final Fantasy VII Remake is scheduled for release on March 3rd and fans can’t wait to get their hands on a copy. The Last of Us Part 2 came out in February and is already a fans’ favorite, much like the original game was. Ellie is now a young woman and although zombies are still present, they aren’t the biggest treat. That role goes to various groups of humans, battling for limited resources. Ten years after the release of the second instalment of the game, we will finally see No More Heroes 3. The info is still a bit vague, especially regarding the gameplay. Even the release date is still unknown. Developers only said that the game will appear in 2020. Hopefully, it will be as good as parts one and two were.
First-person Shooters
Serious Sam 4: Planet Badass was announced in 2014 and we will finally get to play it just six short years later. The arcade-style FPS promises to be as much fun as its predecessors, so maybe it was worth waiting. Payday 3 is also coming out in 2020 unless the developers Overkill Software hit another snag. The second installment of Dying Light, the game that terrified us a few years ago, is supposedly ready. All it needs is a little spit and polish and it hit the shelves later this year. Melee weapons, great story, and hordes of zombies promise a lot of fun. Finally, we get to probably the most anticipated game of 2020. Cyberpunk 2077, featuring Keanu Reeves, promises to be one of the biggest hits in the last couple of years. The cross between an RPG and FPS have caused a lot of stir among the fans ever since it was announced.
The games aren’t the only news from the gaming industry. The growth of the gaming audience has had some interesting consequences for the industry. For instance, 13 of the top 20 best-selling games on Steam in 2020 have been developed in Asia. It would seem that the largest continent is finally getting the recognition it deserves. Considering how many players hail from there, it isn’t too big of a wonder that the game development is also shifting to Asia. Hopefully, we will see even better titles resulting from that move in 2021.