It’s definitely safe to say that our lives have changed a lot since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of us have found that spending a night in is just as fun as spending a night out! While we’re all looking forward to getting out and about again as we once were, the rise of gaming as premium at-home entertainment is hard to ignore.

Playing videogames used to be seen as a niche hobby. However, it’s no longer the case that you’re considered a ‘nerd’ or a ‘geek’ for playing games, and this goes just as much for mobile gaming or enjoying a round or two of cards at an NJ online casino– whatever you prefer!

Gaming’s gone mainstream

There are plenty of great reasons why gaming is now a mainstream pursuit for many people. For one thing, it’s a social endeavor. While there are still plenty of people out there who enjoy solo campaigns on Call of Duty or GTA, the rise of party gaming and multiplayer fun has exploded in the past decade.

There’s now a range of games consoles to suit a variety of tastes and needs. Xbox and PlayStation consoles pivot themselves towards the premium, ‘serious’ gamer market, while Nintendo’s record-breaking Switch console aligns itself as a family favorite. However, there’s also plenty of crossover between these audiences and their chosen systems!

It’s affordable fun

Once you’ve bought a console and a selection of games, they’re yours. There’s no need to keep paying for content unless you want to (let’s not get into the wild world of paid downloadable content or micro-transactions!). Therefore, it’s always easy enough to just load up a quick game of Mario Kart with your friends, and you have to invest very little at the point of sale.

What’s more, modern gaming has never been more advanced. While the older 8-bit and 16-bit games from the 80s and 90s still hold a lot of charm and are still great fun, the possibilities for multiplayer madness have only increased over the years. The games that we now spend $50 or $60 for have amazing value – with hours and hours of replay.

There’s also the fact that there are so many genres of game out there – FPS, racing, battle royale, party games – and the idea of ‘couch multiplayer’ (offline to you and me) is making something of a comeback. Sure, online play is still a lot of fun, but nothing beats a night in with friends over a party game or two.

Gaming is here to stay

We all want to get away somewhere exotic and explore the world, but when that’s just not possible, it’s nice to have a fun back-up waiting at home that we can rely on for nights in. Gaming is no longer the niche interest or ‘childish’ pursuit it was once made out to be. Why not give it a try?