ENTERTAINMENT AND MEDIA TRENDS: 2020, 2021 AND BEYOND

If you’re following the video game industry, you’ll notice that in addition to the launch of new console systems like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, a number of other hot button topics continue to dominate media headlines at present – and promise to impact industry sentiment within the field in coming months. As I’m sure you’ve noticed, chief among them are topics like:

MENTAL HEALTH, and the toll that studio and crunch culture, not to mention a global pandemic, are having on the worldwide gaming industry

DIVERSITY + INCLUSION, and the growing call for a greater range of voices and contributors to gain a presence in the industry

INCREASING GOVERNMENT REGULATION, and the growing scrutiny under which game monetization and data collection practices are now coming

THE PUSH FOR NEW FORMS OF CONTENT, and mounting interest in spaces such as AR, VR, and 5G connectivity, which should open players up to a world of new gaming experiences

THE GROWING MOVE TO MONTHLY PASSES and other recurring revenue models, and games which operate as services, not products

From a legal perspective, rising trends you might expect to see in coming months and years are also as follows:

THE GROWING IMPACT OF ONLINE STREAMERS AND INFLUENCERS, and how to manage brand interactions around their communications and marketing services

WORKPLACE-RELATED ISSUES that will undoubtedly arise in light of HR-related concerns, employee overwork, poaching of studios/talent, corporate culture, and other challenges.

DATA PRIVACY AND ONLINE SECURITY, especially as more customer information moves to the cloud, even as online defenses are stretched thinner and cyber crime has become today’s fastest-growing form of continuing activity.

ECONOMIC FALLOUT due to the coronavirus, and the inevitable impact that it will have on projects, contracts, and service agreements.

REGULATORY AND COMPLIANCE concerns, especially as more territories continue to implement new rules and regulations that must be deciphered and adhered to.

COVID-19 AND ISSUES OF WORKER SAFETY as companies work to reopen businesses and bring employees back into the office.

Of course, this is just a small snapshot of what’s happening in the marketplace today – and the many forces that promise to influence the shape of the video game industry tomorrow. Check back regularly to hear more about what’s happening in the entertainment, media, and gaming spaces.