As COVID-19 continues to rattle our world, millions of people are turning to the gaming world to release themselves from the reality that we all find ourselves in.

With little to no sports, even the slightest entertainment is being sought out by the multitudes. Many video game companies are taking advantage of people self-isolating at home by creating in game events, rewards, and new game modes to keep people entertained. Sales surged to an all-time high for new releases such as big-name titles like “Doom” and “Animal Crossing”, which brought a new look on gaming.

However, many companies are being forced to halt and delay their production times for future games, consoles, accessories, because of productions problems stemming from closed factories and issues stemming from designing games remotely.

“The Last of us II” is a cult following, post-apocalyptic game that was set for a release in the early stages of 2020, but production was abruptly put hold as the pandemic created lots of strong emotions surrounding the series.

The major, annual, video game event, E3, was cancelled this year due to concerns over COVID-19, leaving all companies to reveal their products online rather than in a live format in front of a crowd. The biggest announcements of the year, that would have taken place at E3, was that Sony and Microsoft announcing the release of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X which are both set to be released during the Holiday season of 2020 for an estimated price ranging upwards of $600.

Even with the event cancelled, companies have found creative ways to disclose their new games or products to fans.

Recently, Ubisoft released a successful surprise announcement trailer for the next installment to the “Assassin’s Creed” series of games, Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, The company also released gameplay footage which was quite negatively received by audiences. The game is set to release during the Holiday Season of 2020, and could be a dominant force in the franchise regardless of the early negative reviews.