Thanks, Game Devs, For Helping Me Stay Sane Through A Crisis > 자유게시판

When the COVID-19 crisis suddenly began ravaging communities around the world, national governments could offer little assurance to anxious citizens. We were lucky if we got anything more than contradictory instructions about masks, apexlegendsfans.Com some vague instructions for handwashing and orders to "stay home."

Living in New York City, which was an unfortunate hotspot for the virus, I’m now three months into our city’s stay-at-home order. It finally appears the worst may be over, but our reality will be much different moving forward. Since Friday, March 13, I’ve left my apartment a grand total of six times. Even as my community reopens, we're a long way from the massive open-air concerts and outdoor drinking debauchery that are hallmarks of New York in the summertime.

As a result of the pandemic, my workload is significantly lighter. Even if there were more to do, thoughts about the crisis around me frequently zap my energy. But there are a few things that have kept me sane through the crisis, like cocktail delivery services and a friend's HBO Go password.

But truthfully, there's ultimately only one thing helping me keep myself together. I’m not sure I could have survived this crisis without video games.

The World Has Slowed Down, But Game Developers Keep Moving Forward

About a month ago, after a week-long delay due to impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic, Apex Legends introduced Season 5: Fortune's Favor. It’s the most successful season launch to date , according to a recent press release. Anecdotally, I can attest to the fact that I’ve put hundreds of hours into the game since the beginning of the pandemic.

Gamers also saw VALORANT launch. In fact, those behind the game committed to launching the game early , citing the desire to bring offer more entertainment to people as the COVID-19 crisis lingers.

Fortnite provided the setting for several one-of-a-kind in-game events including a psychedelic Travis Scott event and a concert featuring celebrity musicians Deadmau5, Steve Aoki, Dillon Francis .

Animal Crossing: New Horizons was already scheduled for a mid-March release. But its frequent updates allow players plenty of ways to stay busy. The same is true of Call of Duty: Warzone .

Within the gaming community, there are countless examples. The ones mentioned here speak to major, big-budget releases. But even when it comes to indies with small but loyal followings, development teams are hard at work keeping these games fresh.

Video Game Developers Continue To Come Through For Us In Difficult Times

A contrarian might suggest these companies are pushing out updates amid a pandemic strictly for the profits. That person might suggest developers are working because they’re afraid to lose their jobs in an uncertain climate. But if those concerns were the only thing driving these development teams, then what would stop the company executives from simply turning to bolder emphasis on microtransactions? Whether you love or hate these in-game monetization options, it's indisputable that microtransactions are sure-fire ways to get people to continue to spend money on games.

Ultimately, it seems bigger thing driving these development teams is a sense of collective duty. It stems from the developers' passion for the game itself, love for their fanbases and deep appreciation for the communities that support their work. Development teams, including the project leaders, designers, writers, marketing teams, and executive leaders, understand they have a responsibility in these difficult times. They inherently recognize they're providing refuge for people who might otherwise be putting themselves in positions to spread a terrible illness.

By many accounts, these teams are working harder than ever. Workers in the gaming industry had to rapidly adapt to the challenges of remote work. Many of these studio employees have children, which means they had to rearrange their own lives to care for their children and support them through remote learning. Though many workers may relish being able to work in their pajama pants, they're facing innate challenges without the interpersonal aspects of working together at a studio.

It’s easy to forget that the people making and supporting your favorite summer games are going through abrupt changes in their own lives, yet they continue to deliver new content to keep players engaged.

Thank You, Video Game Developers And Development Teams

And with that, I think it’s important to thank these workers. They may not be considered "essential" in the context of everyday living but they've certainly proven essential for my own mental health.

Thank you, video game developers, for all your efforts to try to make our lives better while we’re staying at home, doing our best to stay safe and protect those around us.

Thanks so much for continuing to work as hard as you can to roll out updates, fixes and changes while grappling with the challenges of COVID-19, including those that may be impacting your own mental health.

Thank you for putting the hours in when you could be sitting at home, feeling as helpless and hopeless as many of the rest of us feel. Maybe there are days when you feel down, yet you keep showing up for people like me. I’m grateful to all of you for pushing through. I can only hope you’re aware of how your work is positively impacting people like me.

via: Nintendo

Super Mario World Thank You screen

It seems players rarely take the time to appreciate video game developers. Twitter feeds and game forums are frequently filled with game criticism. Even in normal circumstances, gamers fail to openly appreciate the efforts of those who work so hard. We may not know these workers by name, but they're working diligently to create brilliant stories, designs and technology that allow us to enjoy this form of immersion.

So it’s perhaps but a small gesture that we should take moment to show thanks to these people who provide an integral, role in our daily lives. Thanks so much to each and every developer and development team member who continues to work hard amid a crisis. I hope that you do so with the understanding that you’re improving the lives of millions of people who would be lost with video games and the communities these games inspire.

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