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

Published

5 years ago

January 26, 2021

Reading Time: 3 minutes

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.

FIFA 21 (2.18 million)
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (1.4 million)
Grand Theft Auto 5 (1.1 million)
Animal Crossing: New Horizons (800,000)
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (660,000)
The Last of Us Part II (530,000)
NBA 2K20 (480,000)
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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CasinoCanada partners with FortuneJack to expand crypto casino coverage

Published

40 minutes ago

May 4, 2026

Wladimir P.

casinocanada-partners-with-fortunejack-to-expand-crypto-casino-coverage

CasinoCanada.com has partnered with FortuneJack crypto casino to increase FortuneJack’s visibility and drive traffic via CasinoCanada’s content channels in non-regulated Canadian markets.

Under the deal, CasinoCanada will create and publish informational content focused on FortuneJack’s features and gaming portfolio. The material will be integrated into CasinoCanada’s review and comparison sections, which the company said is intended to expand coverage and improve user navigation.

CasinoCanada is an online casino guide focused on the Canadian market and operated by SEOBROTHERS. Eugene Ravdin, Head of PR at SEOBROTHERS, said: “Our objective is to provide users with structured information about FortuneJack’s platform and support consistent traffic development. With crypto casinos rapidly growing in popularity and becoming an increasingly important segment of the iGaming industry, we see strong potential in this direction and aim to help users navigate it with clarity and confidence.”

FortuneJack, established in 2012, said it offers over 3,500 games, including more than 2,700 slots, from providers including Pragmatic Play, Yggdrasil, Betsoft Gaming, Red Tiger, GameArt, and PG Soft. The operator also lists up to 135 live casino games and betting across 50 sports. FortuneJack is operated by PlayWave SRL and is registered and licensed under Anjouan laws.

Sally Betanishvili, Brand Manager at FortuneJack, said: “At FortuneJack, Since 2014 our priority is staying at the forefront of the iGaming evolution by offering a premier crypto-gaming experience. Partnering with CasinoCanada allows us to bring our extensive portfolio of over 6000+ games to a wider Canadian audience that values transparency and variety. We are excited to work with a partner that shares our commitment to helping players navigate the exciting world of crypto casinos with confidence.” The companies said the partnership will focus on ongoing content development, increased platform visibility, and user acquisition initiatives across CasinoCanada’s media channels.

The post CasinoCanada partners with FortuneJack to expand crypto casino coverage appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Latest News

Stake launches in Mexico via Uno Capali permit structure

Published

40 minutes ago

May 4, 2026

Wladimir P.

stake-launches-in-mexico-via-uno-capali-permit-structure

Stake has launched its online casino and sportsbook in Mexico, going live on the stake.mx domain as the operator continues its expansion across regulated Latin American markets.

The company said it will operate in Mexico under a permit-based structure regulated by SEGOB (the Ministry of Interior), acting as an agent under Uno Capali’s licence agreement.

Stake positioned the timing around Mexico’s role as a co-host of the 2026 World Cup alongside the USA and Canada, citing the event’s potential for customer acquisition and brand-building.

Stake Director Jarrod Febbraio said: “Mexico is an important and exciting market for us – one that combines strong underlying growth with a deep cultural connection to sport, which aligns perfectly with what Stake is built for.

“We’ve built significant momentum across Latin America in recent years, including in markets such as Peru and Colombia, and Mexico represents a natural next step given its scale and long-term potential.

“With Mexico set to co-host the 2026 football World Cup tournament, the timing of this launch reflects our ability to move with precision into high-value markets at the right moment. It gives us the opportunity to establish a strong presence ahead of one of the biggest sporting events in the world and deliver a world-class experience for Mexican players.”

The post Stake launches in Mexico via Uno Capali permit structure appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

BLAST

Team Vitality sweeps NAVI 3-0 to win BLAST Rivals Spring 2026

Published

40 minutes ago

May 4, 2026

Wladimir P.

team-vitality-sweeps-navi-3-0-to-win-blast-rivals-spring-2026

Team Vitality won BLAST Rivals Spring 2026 in Fort Worth, Texas, defeating Natus Vincere 3-0 in the Counter-Strike 2 grand final, according to the organisation’s announcement.

BLAST Rivals Spring 2026 featured eight teams and a $350,000 prize pool. Vitality opened with a 2-1 win over FUT Esports, then beat G2 2-1 in the group winner’s match to book a semifinal spot.

In the semifinals, Vitality moved past GamerLegion 2-0 to reach the final, where it completed a clean sweep of NAVI.

Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut was named tournament MVP. Vitality also positioned the result as its fifth title of the season and noted it followed its IEM Rio victory and a record of two ESL Grand Slam titles.

The post Team Vitality sweeps NAVI 3-0 to win BLAST Rivals Spring 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.