Gaming industry's fortunes fade as spending squeeze follows pandemic bump

FILE PHOTO: Gamers play Xbox video games at the booth of Microsoft on the first day of Europe's leading digital games fair Gamescom, which showcases the latest trends of the computer gaming scene in Cologne, Germany, August 21, 2019. REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay

(Reuters) - Gaming companies are facing a slowdown in demand for video games from pandemic highs, raising doubts about their ability to weataher an economic downturn.

Rising prices and a lack of hit titles have added to problems for video game publishers Activision Blizzard Inc and Electronic Arts that are also battling supply-chain delays and a shift in consumer choices due to easing lockdowns.