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3 in 10 Brits Have Skipped a Shower or a Meal to Play Video Games in Lockdown

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More Brits than ever played video games last year to beat the boredom of staying home, and our third lockdown in 2021 has seen the trend gain even more traction. With games being released on more platforms, and more genres than ever now is an excellent time to be a gamer!

Fresh Student Living took a deep dive into the gaming industry in the UK to see just what an impact Covid has had on gaming.

More than four in ten UK gamers say they’ve been gaming more during the COVID-19 outbreak (43%). Plus, UK gamers now make up over two thirds of the population (67%); six in ten of this group say they play mobile games (52%); a quarter PC games (25%); and three in ten console games (28%).

When the pandemic first put a stop to everyday life, the gaming world expanded with regular players putting in even more time, and new people joining the trend to connect with friends, kill time and indulge in much-needed escapism. As more people picked up controllers, the UK gaming population exploded by a whopping 63%! People reported feeling happier and calmer, with a higher sense of freedom, thanks to how immersive the best video games are.

The Average Gamer Spent the Equivalent of 39 Days Playing Last Year

Games like FIFA 21, Call of Duty, Animal Crossing and Last of Us were some of the most played games of 2020, with 3 in 10 people skipping showers and meals to play uninterrupted. Almost 6 in 10 Brits also admit to losing sleep due to gaming sessions.

Pre lockdown, the average gamer spent around 13 hours a week playing their favourites. This increased by 5 hours during lockdown with Brits spending 18 hours or more exploring new worlds online – that’s equivalent to 39 whole days spent gaming!

The average gamer usually sets aside a conservative 1-3 hours to play, but in the UK, at least 3% of the population confesses to playing for 15 hours or more in one sitting.

What Video Games is Everyone Playing?

Most Played Video Games of 2020 According to Units Sold

FIFA 21 dominated in 2020 as one of the most anticipated games in the UK, with around 14 games selling per second in the UK last year.

  1. FIFA 21 (2.18 million)
  2. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (1.4 million)
  3. Grand Theft Auto 5 (1.1 million)
  4. Animal Crossing: New Horizons (800,000)
  5. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (660,000)
  6. The Last of Us Part II (530,000)
  7. NBA 2K20 (480,000)
  8. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege (430,000)

More Brits Are Hooked on Video Games

Lockdown has given us all more time to kill, and today the split between male and female video gamers is strictly 50-50. In the UK, 54% of men and women play a game most days, lowering stress and connecting with others being two of the primary motivators.

Multiplayer Games Keep us Connected

With time to kill and social distancing in effect for most of last year, multiplayer games’ popularity soared as more people jumped online to chat and connect. Even ex-gamers again picked up their controllers to join online communities playing games like Call of Duty, Animal Crossing or Fortnite.

Unsurprisingly, lockdown saw most Brits opt for action-packed and interactive genres, with most gamers choosing fighting, action and huge multiplayer Battle Royale games with lots of other players!

Most played genres in 2020

  • Fighting – 81%
  • Action – 79%
  • Massively multiplayer online games – 78%
  • Multiplayer online battle arena games – 75%

The Rise of Covideogamers in 2021

Lockdown has massively changed the gaming community across the world. In the UK, younger gamers spend loads of time playing while self-isolating and spend around two hours a month watching other people play online – a pastime that has increased since lockdown began.

The pandemic has also created a whole new subgenre of gamers known as Covideogamers, who exclusively started gaming during lockdown. Compared to 36% of existing gamers between the ages of 18 – 34, Covideogamers now make up 46% of the population in the same age group – 35% of these new gamers have also admitted it’s so relaxing and stress-relieving, they’re going to start playing more, long after lockdown ends!

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RubyPlay signs World Sports Betting deal to expand in South Africa

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Operator adds RubyPlay slots including Elephant Stampede, Diamond Explosion® 7s and Mayan Cache to its online platform.

RubyPlay has partnered with South African operator World Sports Betting to roll out a selection of the supplier’s slot titles on the bookmaker’s online platform.

Under the agreement, World Sports Betting has integrated RubyPlay Studios games including Elephant Stampede, Diamond Explosion® 7s and Mayan Cache.

RubyPlay said South Africa remains a key market in its international growth strategy. The supplier entered the country in 2023 and said the World Sports Betting deal builds on a series of local partnerships.

Dima Reiderman, CCO at RubyPlay, said: “South Africa has been a real focus for us since we entered the market three years ago, and the traction we have seen in that time makes this partnership with World Sports Betting a genuinely engaging one. They are an established, highly respected brand and adding our portfolio to their platform is a strong example of how we are continuing to establish ourselves as a tier-one supplier across regulated markets.

“World Sports Betting has a deep understanding of their players and a clear vision for how they want to grow their offering. That kind of operator mindset is what we look for in a long-term partnership, and it gives us a strong foundation to build on together in what remains one of the most intriguing markets worldwide.”

Ryno Du Plessis, Chief Operating Officer at World Sports Betting, added: “Our focus is on delivering a high-quality iGaming experience, with a high breadth of standout content playing a key role. RubyPlay stands out as a quality content supplier, not only for the strength of its portfolio, but for its clear approach to game development and delivery.

“Their ecosystem model supports long-term player engagement, which aligns with our strategy as we grow our offering. Bringing in-demand titles such as Elephant Stampede, Diamond Explosion® 7s and Mayan Cache to our players is an exciting move, and we see strong potential in the partnership moving forward.”

The post RubyPlay signs World Sports Betting deal to expand in South Africa appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Dan Brown Business Development Manager at Foxium

Games Global and Foxium launch Reels Avenue Link&Win slot

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New 5×4 Vegas-themed title adds four Link&Win modifiers and four-tier jackpots, with a stated top payout of 10,000x.

Games Global has launched Reels Avenue Link&Win™, developed with its exclusive studio partner Foxium. The new Vegas-themed slot is a 5×4 title built around a Link&Win™ mechanic, four feature modifiers and four-tier jackpots, with the company stating win potential of up to 10,000x.

The base game uses classic slot symbols including BARs, bells and fruits. Collect symbols on reels one and five award the value of all money symbols landing simultaneously.

Coloured money symbols feed meters beside the reels and can randomly trigger the Link&Win™ bonus. In the feature, cash and jackpot coins drop on two 5×4 grids. Four modifiers can apply: Collect Club (adds up cash symbols on the same grid), Twin Heart (replicates value to the adjacent grid), Multi Spade (increases prizes by up to 5x) and Boost Diamond (increments up to four random cash symbols).

The game includes four jackpots that can be enhanced by jackpot tokens in the base game and are awarded when diamonds are collected in each bonus round.

Dan Brown, Business Development Manager at Foxium, said: “There will always be a place for Vegas-themed slots, and for us, it is less about trying to replicate that style, and more about how we can rework it for the modern player. This release provides that nostalgia, but delivers the depth in gameplay that we know drives engagement.”

Dave Reynolds, Director of Games Strategy and Partner Management at Games Global, added: “Foxium have a real knack for building games that grab attention right from the get-go. Reels Avenue Link&Win™ takes the classic Vegas slot and drags it firmly into the modern era – four distinct Link&Win™ modifiers, four-tier jackpots, and audiovisual design that delivers on every level.”

The post Games Global and Foxium launch Reels Avenue Link&Win slot appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Relax Gaming launches football-themed Dream Drop slot with Bet Slip side bets

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World Class Kick Off Dream Drop is the supplier’s first football slot and adds a sportsbook-style feature ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Relax Gaming has released World Class Kick Off Dream Drop, the latest entry in its Dream Drop jackpot series and the supplier’s first football-themed slot.

The company positions the launch around the 2026 World Cup, pitching the game as a cross-sell product aimed at sports bettors as well as casino players.

World Class Kick Off Dream Drop includes six progressive jackpots, including a €2 million MEGA Jackpot, according to Relax Gaming.

The title also introduces Relax Gaming’s Bet Slip feature, which lets players place side bets on specific symbols during gameplay for additional rewards. The supplier describes it as an “industry-first” mechanic designed to bring a sportsbook-style layer into a slot.

Tony O’Mahony, Chief Product Officer at Relax Gaming, said: “The new Bet Slip feature brings an exciting layer of engagement inspired by sports betting, while still delivering the huge jackpot potential players expect from our Dream Drop Jackpots. This one will appeal to casino players and sports punters who enjoy the chance to win big!”

The post Relax Gaming launches football-themed Dream Drop slot with Bet Slip side bets appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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