Global Video Games Industry Rises To Covid-19 Challenge To Entertain, Connect, Educate, Donate And Communicate Public Health Messaging

#stayhomeplaytogether  #PlayApartTogether

ISFE PUBLISHES GUIDANCE FOR VIDEO GAME PLAY FOR PARENTS

With the world facing the biggest public health crisis in living memory, the global video games industry is harnessing its reach, its imagination, and its unique ability to connect people whilst keeping them at home indoors, to help keep its 2.5 billion players safe from Covid-19.  And with millions of children turning to their video games for entertainment, education and to connect to their friends, ISFE has published a blog for parents to help them manage safe and healthy game play during the pandemic.

ISFE CEO Simon Little said: “Never has it been so important to keep people entertained and connected in the safety of their own homes.  The video games industry is uniquely placed to encourage people all over the world to use the technology of video game play to help cope with the challenge we are facing right now and to make it easier to stay home, stay safe, and protect others.

“We urge parents all over Europe to take a moment to read our comprehensive guide for parents on how to ensure their children are playing appropriate games, how to use the parental controls available on all games and consoles to set time limits, to control in-game spending and manage privacy settings, and how to keep them safe online.  We encourage all parents to make some time to play with their children.  The ISFE guide includes a list of games and free educational content that the industry is making available during the crisis.”

The industry takes its responsibility to its players, companies and employees extremely seriously.

Industry trade associations are:

• supporting their member companies and providing them and their employees with information on national business and financial support schemes
• devising and joining campaigns to encourage players to follow public health authority rules and guidelines, using hashtags such as #stayhomeplaytogether and the industry’s WHO-supported #PlayApartTogether initiative
• promoting healthy gaming behaviour and the use of parental controls
• helping parents find appropriate games for their families
• devising campaigns to minimise the impact of social distancing on mental health

Video games companies are:

• Donating to Covid-19 emergency funds
• Inserting in-game Covid-19 safety messaging
• Making educational games free during the crisis
• Making fitness games free during the crisis
• Taking measures to preserve network capacity

Simon Little added, “This situation is new to us, as it is to everyone but the video games industry is committed to learn, adapt and support our community of players, companies and employees throughout this unprecedented crisis.”