Definition
“2021 in games” denotes a chronological summary of notable events, releases, developments, and trends within the global gaming industry—including video games, tabletop games, and esports—occurring during the calendar year 2021.
Overview
The 2021 overview typically compiles information across several categories:
- Video game releases – Highlights major titles launched on consoles, PC, and mobile platforms, such as Resident Evil Village, Halo Infinite, Metroid Dread, and Elden Ring (released in early 2022 but announced in 2021).
- Tabletop and board games – Lists award‑winning and commercially successful board and card games introduced in 2021, including Sleeping Gods, Ark Nova, and Dune: Imperium.
- Esports and competitive play – Summarizes major tournament outcomes, league season conclusions, and notable roster changes in games like League of Legends, Counter‑Strike: Global Offensive, and Valorant.
- Industry events and conferences – Covers adaptations of traditional gatherings (e.g., E3, Gamescom, Tokyo Game Show) to digital formats due to the COVID‑19 pandemic, as well as announcements made at these venues.
- Business and financial developments – Reports on mergers and acquisitions, studio closures, platform launches, and sales milestones, such as Sony’s PlayStation 5 and Microsoft’s Xbox Series X/S reaching cumulative sales thresholds.
- Awards and recognitions – Documents the recipients of major industry honors, including The Game Awards 2021, the BAFTA Games Awards, and various tabletop game awards.
Etymology/Origin
The phrase follows the established “Year in [subject]” convention used by encyclopedic resources (e.g., Wikipedia’s “2021 in video games”) to organize annual retrospectives. The term “games” functions as an umbrella descriptor for interactive entertainment across digital and analog mediums.
Characteristics
Typical features of a “2021 in games” compendium include:
- Chronological organization – Events are ordered by month or quarter to illustrate temporal progression.
- Categorical segmentation – Separate sections for video games, tabletop games, esports, industry business, and awards.
- Quantitative data – Sales figures, player counts, viewership statistics, and financial valuations are presented where available.
- Citation of sources – Information is generally drawn from press releases, industry reports, and reputable news outlets.
- Neutral tone – Descriptions avoid subjective judgments, focusing on verifiable facts and widely recognized milestones.
Related Topics
- 2020 in games
- 2022 in games
- Video game industry
- Tabletop gaming
- Esports
- Game awards (e.g., The Game Awards, BAFTA Games Awards)
- Digital distribution platforms (e.g., Steam, PlayStation Store, Xbox Marketplace)
Note: The information presented reflects commonly documented events and trends for the year 2021 in the gaming sector as reported by reputable industry sources.