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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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Arena Platform

Evoplay expands product portfolio with Arena platform

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Evoplay has launched Evoplay Arena, a free-to-play platform designed to bring players together through competitive, community-driven slot tournaments.

Built entirely around demo gameplay, the platform allows users to compete without deposits or real-money involvement. Players can join a wide range of tournaments—including daily, weekly, monthly, and seasonal formats—earning points and climbing leaderboards based on their performance.

Getting started is simple. After registering and selecting a tournament, players are automatically entered upon their first spin. Each competition clearly outlines its rules, duration, featured game, and scoring mechanics, while live leaderboards provide real-time updates throughout the event.

Scoring systems vary depending on the tournament format, typically factoring in results such as win values or applied multipliers. Once a tournament concludes, final standings are published and rewards are distributed to top performers.

Depending on the format, players can earn digital certificates or Arena Coins. Certificates highlight standout performances, while Arena Coins act as an in-platform currency, rewarding consistent participation and success.

Evoplay Arena also introduces Legends of Arena, a seasonal leaderboard that tracks performance across multiple tournaments. Players accumulate seasonal points automatically, with top-ranked participants receiving additional rewards at the end of each cycle.

Designed for both experienced slot players and casual competitors, the platform offers structured, leaderboard-based gameplay, risk-free access to popular Evoplay titles, and social features such as player chat to enhance interaction.

Ivan Kravchuk, CEO at Evoplay, said:
“Evoplay Arena introduces a new way for players to experience our games through competition and progression, without the need for real-money play. It’s built around accessibility, transparency, and long-term engagement, reflecting our commitment to delivering diverse and entertaining experiences.”

The post Evoplay expands product portfolio with Arena platform appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Gaming Awards

Soft2Bet shortlisted in three categories at SBC Awards Europe

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Soft2Bet has been shortlisted in three categories at the SBC Awards Europe, highlighting the strength of its platform, gamification suite, and ongoing product innovation across key European markets. The recognition follows a year of strong performance and sustained business growth.

The company is nominated in the Acquisition & Retention Partner category for its proprietary Motivational Engineering Gaming Application (MEGA), as well as for Platform Provider of the Year. In addition, MEGA Clawee—a nostalgic claw-machine concept reimagined for online play—has been shortlisted for Industry Innovation of the Year.

Driving Performance Through Innovation

Soft2Bet’s recent results underline its strategy, with notable EBITDA growth, increased sportsbook revenue, and strong overall brand performance over the past 12 months. These achievements reflect the effectiveness of its performance-focused B2B model, which combines product innovation, MEGA-driven gamification, localisation, and regulatory compliance to support growth in highly competitive markets.

The Platform Provider of the Year nomination recognises the company’s all-in-one platform, integrating player account management, payments, CRM, segmentation, bonus and loyalty tools, risk management, and gamification into a single, mobile-first system. This unified approach enables operators to launch quickly, adapt to local requirements, and scale efficiently across both casino and sportsbook verticals.

Gamification at the Core

At the heart of Soft2Bet’s engagement strategy is MEGA Clawee, which brings a remote-controlled claw machine into the digital space. By blending skill-based gameplay with instant rewards, it creates a compelling retention loop designed to boost player engagement and long-term value.

Harrison Barrett, VP of Business Development at Soft2Bet, said:
“Being shortlisted in three categories at SBC Awards Europe is a strong endorsement of our vision. We focus on delivering high-performing platforms, meaningful localisation, and engaging product experiences that keep players coming back. MEGA plays a central role in that strategy, transforming engagement into long-term retention and value.”

For Soft2Bet, the nominations mark another milestone in a period of continued commercial growth, product expansion, and industry recognition, as it supports operators in launching, localising, and scaling through advanced platform technology and engagement-driven solutions.

The post Soft2Bet shortlisted in three categories at SBC Awards Europe appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Italy

REEVO Partners with StarVegas

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REEVO has announced a new partnership with StarVegas, a well-established online gaming brand in Italy. Through this collaboration, REEVO’s in-house games are now available on the StarVegas platform, further strengthening REEVO’s presence in one of Europe’s most competitive regulated markets.

This partnership marks another important milestone in REEVO’s ongoing expansion strategy, as the company continues to grow its global footprint by bringing its high-quality gaming experiences to leading operators worldwide. By going live with StarVegas, REEVO reinforces its commitment to delivering engaging, performance-driven content that resonates with players and supports operator growth.

For REEVO, this collaboration highlights its ability to partner with trusted brands in key markets and deliver content that enhances player engagement and platform performance.

Karl Grech, Head of Business Development at REEVO, said: “Partnering with StarVegas is an exciting step for REEVO as we continue to expand our presence in regulated European markets. Italy is a highly competitive and dynamic market, and we are proud to bring our games to StarVegas players. This collaboration reflects our focus on delivering high-quality content that drives engagement, supports operator success, and creates long-term value.”

Paolo Marchi, Brand Manager of StarVegas, added: “The integration of REEVO within StarVegas marks an important milestone in our growth strategy in Italy. By combining a strong content portfolio with trusted partners, we aim to further strengthen our positioning and offer players an even more complete and diversified gaming experience. We are excited to start this collaboration and explore new opportunities together.”

The post REEVO Partners with StarVegas appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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