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How Video Games Prepared Us for the Pandemic
Social distance technology readied us for isolation — and might help us recover
When I stepped up to the wall of cartridges, everything I believed about video games changed.
I remember thinking it was going to be a quick trip to the gaming store, just in and out, then back home to play video games with my son. But that’s not what happened.
Not even close.
All I wanted was a game that my son and I could play together in the same room. Something to expand our quality time, support us during the COVID-19 quarantine, and relieve our pandemic stress.
When I learned shocked me — and convinced me that video games prepared us for the pandemic.
I learned a few new phrases that day.
I learned that co-op meant playing video games with other players not in the room with you. It’s also known as online multiplayer.
Technically, the players could be in the same room as long as they played on a completely separate console. Most of the time, however, co-op games were played between people in different houses and sometimes in completely different states or countries.
