The video games industry is one of the most exciting sectors today. Unlike other industry verticals; this sector had some great growths going for it during COVID – when people sitting at home discovered video games with a vengeance – and recorded big numbers for multi-player games, PC sales and console sales.
Not just that, while new game development took a hit during that period; it rebounded in a big way in 2023 – with what is being universally recognized as one of the best years for gaming. It had great launches for almost all major studios, and the overall quality of games went up several notches – so much so that games that would easily have entered into top game nominees and won awards in any other year struggled to make their presence felt. It was that competitive.
2024 and the years ahead also promise to be that much exciting and happening – with a lot of industry level consolidation also happening. Microsoft has been on a buying spree, and with the Activision merger finally clearing all hurdles – that, along with Bethesda are two big studios that Microsoft has to push exclusive games for Xbox and PC – something which has been a clear miss when it comes to the quality of content on offer on lets say a PS5.
Console wars – PlayStation vs Xbox are also expected to heat up, especially with each putting in a lot of focus in the respective subscription services; be it Game Pass or PS Plus. Nintendo Switch meanwhile continues its strong run with Mario, Zelda and a lot of other loyal work horses in its stable.
With so much happening, staying on top, getting quick updates as they happen, covering news and most importantly giving an insight into the happenings becomes a task. There are quite a few dedicated gaming news websites, reddit forums and X accounts that help you on all the points mentioned above. Here’s a look at a few of the very best:
IGN – IGN has been around for 25+ years – and is to games what IMDB is to movies. It is the default website for a lot of gamers and is known for covering anything and everything that happens – especially news around big studios and games.
Insider Gaming – Helmed by Tom Henderson – the website is known for being the first on the spot more often than not – and having a fantastic hold to get exclusives, breaking news and putting it out quickly. It also brings a lot of credibility backed by years of solid reporting
GamesHorizon – A relatively new kid on the block – however it is quickly forming a reputation of being equal or better than websites that have been around longer than they have when it comes to breaking news coverage or for that matter – even guides and game reviews.
If you want to be informed about all the biggest changes in gaming industry these are the websites you should check.
