SMALL IS BETTER
With a few notable exceptions, it hasn’t been a strong year for blockbuster games – although Covid played a part in that. Unlike triple-A developers, which faced logistical challenges in arranging remote working for hundreds of staff, indie studios (many already accustomed to working without offices, or working with outside contractors) were able to adapt quickly, and saw little disruption to their routines. There were still holdups for non-blockbusters (Annapurna Interactive’s late-year triumvirate of The Artful Escape, Last Stop and 12 Minutes slipped into 2021, for example) but 2020 was a year in which the independent scene continued to thrive, as reflected in our yearend awards. With the likes of our cover game, Playdate’s launch and – with a fair wind – new games from Simogo, Fullbright and Heart Machine (among others), that’s one trend that looks likely to continue into the New Year.