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Issue link: https://digital.macdirectory.com/i/1339792
There were some stand-out winners last year that encouraged folks to buy new hardware -- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (Activision) and Nintendo’s Animal Crossing: New Horizons. That was a good thing because the virtual show had a console, computer, monitor and TV screen to meet the tastes, needs and budget of every gamer. 2020 was a record year for laptops (enterprise and consumer), with more families than ever working and learning from home. CTA predicted laptop shipments (regardless of the entertainment use) will remain strong in 2021, reaching 69 million units (up 1% over last year) and earning $38 billion in revenue (down 2%). We did see one gaming solution we had to share with the three during virtual CES. It was a Razer concept chair, which they claim is for next-generation immersion. They took the gaming chair and turned it into a complete entertainment setup that adds an attached 60” OLED display that folds back into the chair when not in use. The 4D armrests roll out into adjustable peripheral tables and the chair offers Razer HyperSense tactile feedback. We made the mistake of suggesting that Enderle should upgrade his rig and BAM! he said his was better. He took his Intel Labs chair, replaced the seat with a Recaro Touring Seat (heated, full power) and then rounded everything out with a 49-in Dell monitor. Had to show off … again. The end of last year, we upgraded to a 55-inch OLED set and Rob just had to tell us he had just installed a 77-inch set … sheess! But that’s just the way things are going to be this year with folks around the globe creating a work-from-home environment and scaling up their adoption of added online services, including SVoD. Streaming content – video and audio – will level off this year as we continue to upgrade our devices. At the same time, gaming will become more important in the 21st century as people communicate and connect in a whole new way. As Best Buy’s CEO Corry Barry said in her opening virtual CES keynote, there is no scenario where people will revert back to a pre-pandemic world because folks have become increasingly comfortable with work and entertainment from home. Still, when the world reaches its new normal, people will go out for dinner, go to the movies, travel, and attend CES in a hybrid fashion. It will just take time to get there.