Covid-19: Online gaming booms as virus lockdowns keep millions at home


Gaming traffic on Verizon’s network shot up an ‘unprecedented’ 75% in the space of a week, the US telco said recently. — AFP

HONG KONG: When two Spanish footballers took to the controls of FIFA 20 after the coronavirus pandemic saw their La Liga match cancelled, a stadium-sized virtual audience watched online.

The huge digital crowd last week is part of a spectacular boom for the digital gaming industry, as record numbers flock to online servers for distraction, entertainment and friendship with the “real world” seemingly falling apart.

The Star Christmas Special Promo: Save 35% OFF Yearly. T&C applies.

Monthly Plan

RM 13.90/month

Best Value

Annual Plan

RM 12.33/month

RM 8.02/month

Billed as RM 96.20 for the 1st year, RM 148 thereafter.

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!

Next In Tech News

Uber and Lyft plan to bring robotaxis to London in partnerships with China's Baidu
Vodafone CEO among UK bosses who see AI, cyberattacks as top 2026 risks
China delays plans for mass production of self-driving cars after accident
Malaysian students win gold at International Robot Olympiad with Mars-exploration robot concept
Leica rolls out firmware update for its SL-System and Q3 camera family
China’s weather superpower bid takes aim at top AI model dataset
Meta’s Threads makes a play for podcasters and their rabid fans
Cyberattack disrupts France's postal service and banking during Christmas rush
ByteDance plans to spend $23 billion towards AI infrastructure in 2026, FT reports
New York Times reporter sues Google, xAI, OpenAI over chatbot training

Others Also Read