I’ve spent the last few days comparing Games of the Year lists for 2020, with those of a decade ago, and more. I wanted to learn how much games have changed these past ten years, and what that might say about the state of gaming.

In 2020, accessibility moved to the center of game design. After years of ambivalence, activist campaigning, and a few well-meaning wrong turns, game companies are now placing accessibility as a priority.

As we await the arrival of vaccines, the COVID-19 global pandemic continues to wreak tragedy, chaos, and economic hardship throughout the world. In the specific arena of video games, the pandemic has created a strange set of circumstances triggering unexpected effects, ranging from monetary to cultural.