Video games and their popularity
As a gaming fan yourself, through friends or your kids, we all are, in some form or another, connected to the gaming world. And with that connection, you probably might already know about some of the popular gaming trends at the moment. But if not don’t worry, NDP, the American market research company has recently released its list of the most popular and best selling video games of 2020 so far. To determine what games people are buying, the company looks at digital and retail sales.
While some family favourites are still popular, online multiplayer shooters also reign supreme. With some of these being a tad violent, there is always a concern for parents. This is why every single video game that comes out, comes with an age and content rating from the ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board). This allows parents to decide what games are appropriate for their children. Co-founder of the ed tech gaming company, SplashLearn, Umang Jain has stated that, children are exposed to forms of violence in movies, TV and the internet but video games get a lot of scrutiny. Parents must be aware of the modes in which children consume media and then make an informed decision when it comes to allowing their children to play violent video games.
With the help of IGN’s list of the best selling games and NPD’s list, we have compiled a list of the most popular video games of 2020 so far. We’ve also included their ratings to help you make an informed decision when it comes to picking some of them up.
Five of the very best!
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare | Rating: M, 17+
Developed by Activision studios, this first-person shooter is the 16th game in the Call of Duty franchise. It was released in October 2019 for Xbox One, Playstation 4 and Microsoft Windows. To save the fictional country of Urzikstan from invasion, the storyline follows the British forces and a CIA officer who team up to defend the nation.
NBA 2K20 | Rating : E, Everyone
Published by 2K sports, this basketball simulation game is based on the National Basketball Association. Featuring the most updated graphics, next level features and a career mode, this is one for the fans of basketball. The game was released on Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Playstation 4 and Microsoft Windows in November 2019.
Madden NFL 20 | Rating : E, Everyone
This American football simulation game based on the National Football League is published by Electronic Arts. The game makes you feel like an NFL superstar creating your plays and coming up with the best strategies to get that win and ultimately becoming the Super Bowl champions! The game was released in August 2019 for Microsoft Windows, Xbox One and the Playstation 4.
Borderlands 3 | Rating: M, 17+
Shipping more than 5 million copies in its first five days, Borderlands 3 is a first-person shooter action game that was released in September 2019. It’s the sequel to Borderlands 2 which was released in 2012 and is published by 2K games.
Mortal Kombat 11 | Rating: M, 17+
The 11 game in the iconic franchise, MK 11 was released in April 2019 by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. Running on the Unreal Engine 3, this fighting game features new characters, new stages and most importantly, new fatalities! It was released across all platforms.
Five that almost made it!
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order | Rating : Teen
Taking place in the Star Wars universe, this action-adventure game follows a Jedi Padawan as he tries to restore the Jedi order while completing his training. Published by Electronic Arts in November 2019, the game is available on Playstation 4, Microsoft Windows and Xbox One
Super Smash Bros Ultimate | Rating : E, Everyone
The fifth game in the Super Smash Bros series, the game was released in 2018. It had sold nearly 16 million copies by September 2019! In this game, you pick a character and try to knock your opponent out of an arena.
Kingdom Hearts III | Rating : E, Everyone
The 12th installment in the Kingdom Hearts series, the game was released in 2019 by Square Enix for the Xbox One and Playstation 4.
Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 | Rating: M, 17+
Published by Ubisoft, The Division 2 is an online action game. The game is set in Washington D.C. as smallpox has destroyed the city. It was released in March 2019 for Xbox One, Playstation 4 and PC.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | Rating : E, Everyone
Selling more than 22 million copies, the game is Nintendo’s best selling game ever! It was released for the Switch in 2017 and is the 8th installment of the series.
