There’s a psychology behind our affection for retro gaming, and it’s only partly to do with nostalgia for the past.

Combined with phone calls, texts and chat tools like Discord, video games from battle royal “Fortnite” to the immersive world of “Roblox” are giving people a way to share fun, escapist experiences with each other when their shared reality is darker. They also act as a conduit for discussing the harder topics, like depression. Whether it’s shooting aliens together in near silence or opening up about feelings of loss, playing games is serving a valuable purpose

“Where have you been all this time?” A wave of guilt washed over me as I read these words on the screen. Considering how 2020 dismantled our reality and created a new set of post-coronavirus social paradigms, the last thing I wanted was to explain myself to someone I thought would understand.

Joshua Mullins told associates he was a multi-billionaire esports investor. In reality, he was a small-town kid with a passion for gaming and a knack for forgery.

Pigs can play video games, scientists have found, after putting four fun-loving swine to the test. Four pigs – Hamlet, Omelette, Ebony and Ivory – were trained to use an arcade-style joystick to steer an on-screen cursor into walls.

Microsoft announced Friday that it’s planning to dramatically raise the monthly cost of its Xbox Live Gold subscription service , which is required for Xbox owners who want to play their console games online. “Periodically, we assess the value and pricing of our services to reflect changes in regional marketplaces and to continue to invest in the Xbox community,” Microsoft wrote in its announcement. “We’ll be making price adjustments for Xbox Live Gold in select markets.