E3 highlights new titles and efforts to diversify gaming industry

After a blockbuster 2020 kept people at home, the gaming industry faces the challenge of continuing to keep fans engaged.

After a blockbuster 2020 that kept people hunkered down at home with only their devices for company, the video game industry won’t have it quite as easy this year enticing consumers to shell out for the latest titles. The global games market is expected to generate $175.8bn in revenues in 2021, according to analytics firm Newzoo – a slight decrease from last year. As economies reopen and virus restrictions are rolled back, competition for people’s time, attention and disposable cash is heating up. To meet the challenge, the titans of video gaming brought their A game to this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) — a trade event organised by the Entertainment Software Association and one of the gaming industry’s biggest shows.