Yes, we did play more video games during the coronavirus pandemic. Hey, when you are asked to stay at home and social distance as a way to stop or at least slow the spread of COVID-19, who could blame you for bingeing on "Animal Crossing," "Call of Duty" or "Fortnite." More than half of players (55%) said they played more games during the pandemic, and most players (90%) said they will continue playing after the country opens up, according to a survey of 4,000 U.S. adults conducted by market research firm Ipsos in February 2021 for the Entertainment Software Association. For players during the pandemic, video games were a source of stress relief (55%) and distraction (48%), the survey found. Video games also served as an escape and a break for children, 71% of parents surveyed said.

The virtual stage is set for this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo, or E3, returning as an all-digital event, due to the pandemic, instead of the annual pilgrimage to L.A. to cram into the Los Angeles Convention Center. But the focus of the four-day celebration, taking place June 12-15, remains the same as the annual show that first debuted in 1995: to catch a glimpse at upcoming video games and new hardware, attend press conferences and panels, and perhaps spot celebrity appearances. "For more than two decades, E3 has been the premier event and showcase for the video game industry," says Stanley Pierre-Louis, President and CEO of the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), a Washington, D.C.-based organization that serves as the voice and advocate for the video game industry. Yes, the internet fails:Outages like Fastly's will happen. Here's how to protect yourself "Even before the pandemic, we recognized the importance of reaching out to the digital audience, and so this new format creates exciting opportunities to bring fans, the media and industry together all under one tent" adds Pierre-Louis.

The Federal Trade Commission is hosting a public workshop Wednesday on video game "loot boxes" amid backlash from players claiming it can create a "pay to win" structure. The workshop will bring together industry experts, consumer advocates and others "to discuss concerns regarding the marketing and use of loot boxes and other in-game purchases, and the potential behavioral impact of these virtual rewards on young consumers," according to an event description on the FTC's website. The concept has generated angst among video game players concerned it encourages a "pay to play" atmosphere where gamers must spend money to gain a competitive edge. Loot boxes are rewards players receive within video games containing random prizes. For example, in the Activision Blizzard game Overwatch, loot boxes generate stickers, quotes from characters, and special costumes.

The tragic events of the past weekend – back-to-back mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio leaving at least 31 dead and more than 50 wounded – has reignited the debate over the alleged correlation between video games and violent behavior. "We must stop the glorification of violence in our society," President Trump said in remarks from the White House on Monday. "This includes the gruesome and grisly video games that are now commonplace." Thousands subsequently turned to social media to challenge this claim, citing easy access to assault-style weapons without background checks as the core problem. Video games are immensely popular in several countries that do not see mass shootings, many noted.

Contrary to popular belief, videogames aren't dominated by 12-year-old boys. In fact, according to the Entertainment Software Association and its just-released report, 2019 Essential Facts About the Computer and Video Game Industry, the median age of a U.S. gamer today is 33 years old and almost evenly split between male and female players (54% compared to 46%, respectively). Conducted by Ipsos for the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), and with additional data provided by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) and the NPD Group, this annual study is billed as the most in-depth and targeted look at the evolving interactive entertainment space. The PDF report is free to download at theesa.com. "Today, there are 164 million adults who play video games in the United States, and three-quarters of all American households have at least one gamer in them," states Stan Pierre-Louis, Chief Executive Officer of the ESA, which serves as the voice and advocate for the dollar video game industry.