The Top 10 Video Games being Played During the Global Pandemic

Using Steam numbers, Twitch viewership numbers, social media trends, and Google analytics we compiled the top 10 video games currently being played during the global pandemic! Let's begin!
 

10. Hearthstone - With The new “Ashes of Outland” set having recently come out with improved ladder rewards and more proactive ‘fixing’ of problem cards, Hearthstone has seen a resurgence. Blizzard also hopped into the ‘autobattler’ craze at the perfect time to provide Hearthstone: Battlegrounds through the same client. 

9. Mario Kart - A timeless classic that deserves a spot on this list. Rated a 4.8/5 by Gamestop, the new Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for the Switch provides exactly what fans were looking for. With better online capabilities, DLC, and a quality handheld mode, Mario Kart seems to always be one of the best Nintendo products every year. 

8. Minecraft - Speaking of timeless classics, if you have a kid, or have interacted with a kid in the last decade, you’ve probably heard of Minecraft. One of the most accessible and popular games of all time, this game is basically if you had an infinite number of lego pieces and infinite space to build. This allows for fans of all ages to explore and build with each other. A perfect game to pick up if you’re looking to find an educational and immersive experience for you and your children.

7. Pokemon: GO - Pokemon: GO has had it’s ups and downs over the years, but one thing is for sure. It’s here to stay. The team at Pokemon: GO is embracing this new lifestyle we are living in this global pandemic and releasing new content and events with extreme regularity. As long as Nintendo continues to release great games for their consoles, Pokemon: GO will continue to have new and fresh content and new, adorable Pokemon to befriend.  

6. Final Fantasy 7 Remake - Arguably the most hyped remake for a game in the history of gaming. You couldn’t get on social media without seeing people gushing about how they were preparing to binge this game. Since its release, it’s seen varying reviews, most of which are positive. Some are worried about how the game is being released in multiple parts - as this is just part one. It looks like Square Enix, the game’s developer, is looking to expand the game quite extensively and expand upon the world of the original Final Fantasy.

5. Jackbox - THE party game! Let’s go over where you can purchase these games:

       Steam, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Apple TV and IPad, Amazon Fire TV, Humble, Fanatical, Epic Games, Comcast Xfinity, Mac App store, Android TV.

Frankly, this is the most accessible party game of all time. Download the party pack game, find the game you and your friends want to play, everyone gets on their phones and heads to Jackbox.tv. Enter the lobby from your smartphone, and BOOM. Everyone is connected. In times like these, there are many two to four player games available to play with your roommates, your partner and kids, or anyone that you’re living with!

4. League of Legends - Where do you start with League of Legends? Still, the most widely watched and played game in the world, and has been around for the better part of this decade. A free to play game, this is the game that many other free to play games modeled their structure after over the years. Truly a legendary game with no slowing down in sight.  

3. Fortnite - The game that moved Twitch streaming and competitive gaming mainstream. No matter your opinion on popular streamer, Ninja, he did bring gaming to mainstream news networks, and has inspired millions around the world to take up gaming at a competitive and casual level. Fortnite, much like Minecraft, became popular due to its accessibility at all age levels. A perfect game to download for free and play with your friends and family. 

2. Valorant - As the time of writing this, Valorant closed beta currently has 542k viewers on Twitch - second place coming in at 225k viewers by League of Legends. No one is sure if this game’s popularity will sustain itself like LoL, Counterstrike, or Fortnite, but time will tell. Currently the most popular Twitch game in the world, by far, makes for an exciting new game for FPS fans. 

1. Animal Crossing - If you have logged into the internet in the past month, it’s almost impossible to avoid the hype of Animal Crossing. This game’s popularity has made it so that Nintendo Switches are sold out into the summer in most places! If you have a Switch and haven’t tried this game, it’s quite the treat. With daily login rewards, infinite customization options, ability to hang with your friends digitally, and so much more allows for Animal Crossing to possibly become one of the most popular video games of all time. It’s a fun, friendly, and wacky game. We all know that is very much needed in these crazy times. 

What games did we miss? What’s your number one game right now? Let us know in the comments! 

Until next time, may you grow all of the apples, cherries, coconuts, oranges, pears, and peaches on your Animal Crossing island! 

Mitch

Inked Gaming