Online video game showcases a remedy for coronavirus-caused summertime blues without E3 trade show

Amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, video games remain a hobby that can be enjoyed at home. If the shortage of Nintendo Switch consoles is any indication, people nationwide made stay-at-home orders easier by jumping into virtual worlds. Another sign that gamers are turning to their controllers: Consumer spending on video game software, hardware, accessories and other related goods in May rose 52% to $977 million, the highest amount for the month in 12 years, according to research firm The NPD Group. Summer is also the time when video game devotees learn what is in the pipeline. But most of the industry's quintessential summer showcases – The Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles, in particular – have been canceled due to the threat of the virus, leaving gamers to get industry news from primarily online sources.