Resource Center
Healthy Game Play
News
Industry Resources
Resource Center
Global Resources
Reliable, up-to-date information on the current COVID-19 outbreak can be found at:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Coronavirus (COVID-19) Page
- World Health Organization (WHO) Coronavirus Disease Pandemic Page
- Coronavirus.gov
How to Help
Take action to support public health and those affected by the outbreak:
- Slow the spread of COVID-19 by practicing social distancing and following the direction of state and local authorities.
- Take the Gamers vs. COVID-19 Pledge.
- Help support ESA Foundation Scholars affected by the outbreak.
- Donate to the CDC Foundation to help support the CDC response to COVID-19.
- Donate to the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund to support WHO’s work.
Healthy Game Play
Resources
- ESRB – for more on video game ratings and resources for parents
- Parental Tools – specific tools to help with parental controls
- Game Generation – a community promoting the value and power of play
- Take This – promoting mental health resources
- Xbox Family Settings – responsible gaming resources
- Family Settings on Xbox – tutorial video
Healthy Game Play Resources For Parents
A message from ESRB President Patricia Vance:
As many of us find ourselves under orders to “stay-at-home” to help stem the coronavirus pandemic, playing video games can be a great way for families to have fun together and for kids to stay connected to their friends. Here are some simple steps that parents can take to make sure their children have a safe and age-appropriate experience.
Choose the Right Games for Your Family
Knowing which games are appropriate for your children is easier than you may think. If your child has asked to play or purchase a specific game, a good first step is to check the rating displayed on the product detail page. Parents can also conduct a search for the ESRB-assigned age and content ratings on esrb.org or our rating search app for iOS and Android by entering the game’s title. With our three-part rating system, you can quickly understand if a game is appropriate for your family. You can also review a game’s Rating Summary, which provides even more detail.
Read more: What Parents Need to Know About Managing their Kids’ Video Games During the Pandemic
Downloads
News
ESA continues to monitor and curate news about and from the video game industry that demonstrate the power of play to learn, grow and connect while practicing social distancing.
PLAY
- People Aren’t Reading or Watching Movies. They’re Gaming. – The New York Times
- Since travel is off the cards (for now) I’m exploring the vast terrain of video game worlds – The Guardian
- The Games That Make Me Feel Free – Kotaku
- Video games are thriving amid COVID-19 — and experts say that’s a good thing – Los Angeles Times
- Why Do People Love Games? – The New York Times
- Neither Flood, Nor Fire, Nor Virus Shakes The Virtual Calm Of ‘Minecraft’ – NPR
- The power of games and play during times of crisis – Mashable
- As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, video games can offer escape and connection – Hartford Courant
- ESA CEO Stanley Pierre-Louis believes that the world is seeing the good that gaming can do – VentureBeat
- Video Games Are a Great Way to Pass the Time and Keep You Connected. Here’s How to Get Started – TIME
- Finding comfort in the mundane: How life simulation games calm quarantine anxiety – The Washington Post
- My Morning Animal Crossing: New Horizons Routine Has Become My Mental Safety Net – USgamer
- Don’t Feel Bad If Your Kids Are Gaming More Than Ever. In Fact, Why Not Join Them? – TIME
- How to re-discover video games as a bored grownup – The Guardian
- The Animal Crossing soundtrack is an unlikely lullaby for a nervous world – The Washington Post
- I’m Gaming My Way Through Quarantine — and That’s Nothing to Feel Guilty About – TIME
- In a terrible time, video games can help – Polygon
- Rethinking screen-time in the time of COVID-19 – UNICEF Blog
- ‘Screen time’ has gone from sin to survival tool – The Washington Post
- Coronavirus Ended the Screen-Time Debate. Screens Won. – The New York Times
- People are turning to video games for comfort in uncertain times, but they’ve always been a force for good – GamesRadar
- Don’t Freak Out About Quarantine Screen Time – The New York Times
- Gaming is the Island in Our Storm – Lifewire
- For the Uninitiated and Bored, an Introduction to the World of Gaming – The New York Times
- Video games can be a healthy social pastime during coronavirus pandemic – USA Today
- From my coronavirus quarantine, a love letter to video games – Los Angeles Times
- Due to coronavirus, Pokémon Go just got easier to play inside – The Verge
- Increased Daily Bonuses, changes to Gifts, and rotating 1 PokéCoin bundles – Pokémon Go Live
- The best video games for your new locked-in lifestyle – Slate
- It’s a perfect time to play video games. And you shouldn’t feel bad about it. – The New York Times
- How to get into gaming during the coronavirus lockdown – The Next Web
- Why a video game is keeping me sane during coronavirus social distancing – NJ.com
- Don’t worry about your kids playing too many video games while under quarantine – Reason
- Head back to Hyrule: When this world is uncertain, return to game worlds that aren’t – NPR
- The world is turning to video games amid coronavirus outbreak – Yahoo! Finance
- As coronavirus forces people indoors, video games come to the rescue – Polygon
- The best videogames to play when you’re stuck inside – Wired
- Record number of Steam users online during coronavirus outbreak – GamesIndustry.biz
- Video games are being played at record levels as the coronavirus keeps people indoors – Forbes
- If you’re social distancing, hang out with friends by playing video games – Forbes
- The 10 best and cheapest ways to play great video games while you’re stuck indoors – Business Insider
- Coronavirus has a lot of people playing Fortnite and watching Twitch – CNET
- Here’s a list of games you should play while you’re stuck inside avoiding the coronavirus – The Verge
- “Ring Fit Adventure,” a fitness video game, is selling out worldwide because of the coronavirus – Buzzfeed
LEARN
- The virtual museums I can still visit this summer – Polygon
- ‘Minecraft’ is for learning? In COVID time, 50 million downloads of free education content – Los Angeles Times
- Amid ‘scary things happening in the world,’ video games can offer homebound students mindfulness, Oak Lawn educator says – Chicago Tribune
- With coronavirus closing schools, here’s how video games are helping teachers – The Washington Post
- Your kids can learn a lot playing video games during the coronavirus school shutdown – USA Today
- Researchers turn to PC gamers for help with COVID-19 – GamesIndustry.biz
- 10 unplugged activities to teach computing at home with everyday household objects – Digital Schoolhouse
- Games are good: a comprehensive list of game-centric and game-adjacent teaching resources – Digital Schoolhouse
- Discover Best Games For Your Child With New Family Game Database – Ask About Games
- 5 tips to prepare for a remote classroom due to coronavirus – iCivics
- Free remote learning support during COVID-19 outbreak – Legends of Learning
- Polish government running games development course for quarantined kids – GamesIndustry.biz
- 400,000 new people have joined Folding@Home’s fight against COVID-19 – Engadget
- Poland is launching a Minecraft server for students stuck at home under quarantine – PCGamesN
- Donate processing power to help find a treatment for Covid-19 – Rock Paper Shotgun
- The best educational apps for kids to game during coronavirus – The New York Post
- Could video games and other entertainment help slow the spread of COVID-19? – Scientific American
- Microsoft extends access to Minecraft: Education Edition and resources to support remote learning – Microsoft
CONNECT
- COVID-19 left the live music industry in shambles, so DJs are finding other creative ways to connect with fans – Business Insider
- Pilgrimage ‘by proxy’: Coronavirus spurs new technologies for age-old hajj – Los Angeles Times
- Black Lives Matter meets Animal Crossing: how protesters take their activism into video games – The Guardian
- ‘Hey, You Free on Friday for a Meeting and a Bank Heist?’ – The New York Times
- New Zealand’s Latest Tourist Ad Is A Video Game… Sort Of – GameSpot
- Visionary Fashion School Creates Interactive Online Game To Showcase Graduates’ Collections – Forbes
- How Video Games, and Coronavirus, Rekindled My Oldest Friendships – Wall Street Journal
- Video Games Are Standing In For Physical World Experiences During Social Distancing – Forbes
- Thousands gathered Saturday for a music festival. Don’t worry: It was in Minecraft. – The Washington Post
- Are video games the future of live music? – GamesIndustry.biz
- Partying on Minecraft, in a Replica of a Brooklyn Club – The New York Times
- Video games? Political campaigns get unconventional to reach voters during pandemic – First Coast News
- 4 game charities band together to fight pandemic-related fundraising shortfalls – VentureBeat
- LGBT+ ‘gaymers’ in Mexico escape coronavirus lockdown with virtual football tournament – Reuters
- Halo developer raises over $430,000 for GlobalGiving’s coronavirus relief fund – Dot Esports
- Roblox initiative could raise $2m for COVID-19 relief – GamesIndustry.biz
- Introducing ‘Play For All,’ GameSpot’s Summer Gaming Celebration & Charity Effort – GameSpot
- Former Nintendo chief Reggie Fils-Aimé joins new podcast to raise funds for homeless youths – The Washington Post
- Esports Arena: Games Done Quick Raises $400K to Aid Coronavirus Efforts – The Hollywood Reporter
- Racing turns hard into esports while the real world is on hold – Ars Technica
- Get 13 PC Games For $20 And Support A Wonderful Cause – GameSpot
- The pandemic canceled their wedding. So they held it in Animal Crossing. – The Washington Post
- Humble’s Conquer Covid-19 bundle has over $1000 worth of games and ebooks for just $30 – Rock Paper Shotgun
- With Tours Canceled, Venues Closing, And Futures Uncertain, Musicians Flock To Twitch – Kotaku
- Paradox are running a sale to fundraise for coronavirus relief – Rock Paper Shotgun
- Social distancing is pushing esports into the mainstream – Engadget
- The many ways the video game community is helping coronavirus relief efforts – GamesRadar
- ‘Something Needs to Fill That Void.’ As Stadiums Go Quiet, Esports Are Having a Moment – TIME
- Verizon Teams With FaZe Clan for Coronavirus Charity Gaming Event – The Hollywood Reporter
- Current and former pro athletes to take part in NBA 2KL Three for All – ESPN
- People are holding video game weddings and graduation ceremonies – CNN
- Gamers for Giving streaming marathon raises $668,310 – Gamers for Giving
- Coronavirus: making friends through online video games – Teiss
- Esports fill the void as Coronavirus wreaks havoc on sports calendar – Forbes
- Gathering virtually: Older people embracing online gaming amid coronavirus pandemic – West Hawaii Today
- Finding connection during quarantine with Animal Crossing: New Horizons – The New Yorker
- Parked by pandemic fears, NASCAR’s stars rev up for virtual iRacing series – The Washington Post
- Ronda Rousey played AC: New Horizons to aid the COVID-19 Response – NintendoSmash
- Pro sports play on through coronavirus shutdown — thanks to video games – Polygon
- Wizards, Capitals to air video game simulations of postponed games – Washington Times
- La Liga switches to consoles to keep players busy amid Covid-19 shutdown – The Guardian
- As hanging out gets difficult, more people are turning to social video games – NPR
- 25 best video games to help you socialise while self-isolating – The Guardian
- While the sports world falls silent, esports and streamers fill the void – The Washington Post
- F1 drivers and other pros switch to esports in the age of the coronavirus – Ars Technica
- With football cancelled, teams are taking to video games to play postponed fixtures – Eurogamer
- NBA, Premier League teams are simulating canceled matches in video games – Kotaku
- Xbox boss: Heartening that people are using gaming as a way to stay connected following COVID-19 measures – Wccftech
- As traditional sports leagues pause during the coronavirus, esports could fill some gaps – Adweek
Industry Resources
In addition to amplifying the #PlayApartTogether initiative to spread key messages from the World Health Organization, ESA members and the video game industry are responding to COVID-19 in the following ways:
Activision Blizzard
- The company behind ‘Call of Duty’ says it’s funding COVID-19 treatment research while it figures out how to produce video games remotely
- All Heroes of the Storm characters are free to play until April 2
- All StarCraft 2 co-op Commanders are free to play until April 2
- Overwatch League Matches Moving Online
- Call of Duty League Shifting Currently Scheduled Live Events to Online Competition
- World of Warcraft is doubling all XP gains to keep its players indoors
- Blizzard and Paradox arrange care packages for remote-working staff during coronavirus lockdowns
Amazon
- #TwitchStreamAid raises $2,766,857.12 and counting for the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for WHO powered by the United Nations Foundation
- Twitch Stream Aid 2020. Saturday March 28th. 9am-9pm PDT
- Amazon’s COVID-19 blog: How we are supporting our employees, customers, and communities
Bethesda
Bungie
- Bungie COVID-19 Fundraiser to Benefit Direct Relief Globally
- Bungie Foundation Update: $160K Donation to our Local Bellevue Boys and Girls Club of Bellevue
- Bungie’s COVID-19 Response: Primer on Our Remote Infrastructure Plan and Deployment to Help Other Companies
- Bungie COVID-19 Update: Remote Infrastructure Deployed for All Employees
Electronic Arts (EA)
- Electronic Arts pledges up to $2m in match-funded support for COVID-19 relief
- Stay safe. Stay home. Play together.
- An EA Update on the Coronavirus Situation
- An Important Update on EA’s Upcoming Competitive Gaming Events
Legends of Learning
Microsoft/Xbox
- UNICEF and Microsoft launch global learning platform to help address COVID-19 education crisis
- Donate to the CDC Foundation By Playing Xbox
- Responding to COVID-19
- A Message to the Gaming Community on What We’re Doing to Help Today
- Free Educational Content in Minecraft Marketplace!
Nintendo
- Nintendo donates 9,500 face masks to US emergency services
- The creators of Animal Crossing hope New Horizons can be ‘an escape’ in difficult times
Riot Games
Sony Interactive Entertainment/PlayStation
- Announcing the Play At Home Initiative
- Sony is setting up a $100 million COVID-19 global relief fund
- Preserving Internet access for the entire community
Square Enix
- Square Enix: Stay Home and Play
- Square Enix gives away 2 Tomb Raider games on Steam and asks us to ‘stay home and play’
Take-Two Interactive
- Rockstar Is Donating 5 Percent of In-Game Revenue to COVID-19 Relief Efforts
- Take-Two’s COVID-19 Response
Tencent
Ubisoft
- Just Dance – Get Moving at Home With Just Dance Unlimited for Free
- Play Your Part, Play At Home – Ubisoft Update
- Twitch Stream Aid: Ubisoft matches all donations up to $150K to benefit the WHO COVID-19 Solidarity Fund
- Play Child of Light and Other Ubisoft Games Free
