Frequently Asked Questions
The most-asked questions about video games of the 2020s, part 1.
What is 'Video Games of the 2020s, Part 1'?
It is the first volume of an unofficial fan encyclopedia that catalogs, analyzes, and celebrates the video games released during the early-to-mid 2020s. The entry is written by and for the gaming community rather than by any publisher or studio, so its tone blends factual reference with fan perspective.
What time span does Part 1 actually cover?
The volume focuses on titles and industry events from January 2020 through roughly the end of 2024, treating that five-year window as a coherent era. Games announced in that window but released later are noted but deferred to a subsequent part.
Which studios and creators are treated as the era's central figures?
FromSoftware, Larian Studios, Naughty Dog, Supercell, and CD Projekt Red appear most frequently as the developers whose work defined the period's critical conversation. Individual designers such as Hidetaka Miyazaki, Swen Vincke, and Neil Druckmann are profiled for their outsized influence on design trends.
Where should a complete newcomer start reading?
The encyclopedia's suggested on-ramp is the 'Platform & Hardware' chapter, which explains the PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and next-gen PC hardware that underpins most of the era's releases. From there, the 'Genre Spotlights' section lets readers pick a style they enjoy and follow the recommended reading path.
What technical and business shifts define the 2020s gaming landscape?
The era is marked by the full adoption of ray tracing, the mainstreaming of cross-play across consoles and PC, and the dominance of free-to-play live-service models. Subscription services like Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus Premium reshaped how many players discover and own games.
Which individual titles are most frequently cited as the era's high-water marks?
Elden Ring (2022) and Baldur's Gate 3 (2023) are consistently presented as the decade's twin pillars of critical acclaim, each winning major Game of the Year honors. Indie standouts such as Hades, Celeste, and Hollow Knight are highlighted for proving that small teams could rival AAA in design ambition.
How did the 2020 pandemic affect game development and release schedules?
Lockdowns accelerated the shift to remote development, disrupted launch windows for major titles, and simultaneously drove record player engagement as people spent more time at home. The encyclopedia dedicates a sidebar to how these disruptions created both delays (e.g., several AAA titles slipping by a year) and unexpected creative experiments.
What platforms and regions does the encyclopedia prioritize?
Coverage is centered on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and the major mobile ecosystems (iOS and Android), with Nintendo Switch treated as a parallel track. Regional differences in release timing, censorship, and market size are noted where they materially affect a title's reception.
What major controversies or turning points are documented?
The volume addresses the Activision Blizzard workplace scandal and subsequent Microsoft acquisition, the prolonged development delays of Grand Theft Auto VI, and the broader industry reckoning around crunch culture and studio closures. These events are presented as inflection points that reshaped labor practices and corporate ownership in gaming.
How is the encyclopedia organized, and how will it expand?
Part 1 is divided into chapters by hardware, genre, studio, and year, with cross-references linking related titles and concepts. The project is planned as a multi-part series, with later volumes intended to cover the latter half of the 2020s, emerging technologies like generative AI in game production, and the industry's transition into the 2030s.