Impossible year

Reflecting on a terrible, yet undeniably transformative 12 months in games, and where it might lead

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Hard to believe, but there was much to be optimistic about when 2020 began. Journey To The Savage Planet – yes, that really was this year – kicked January off in colourfully amusing fashion, while Kentucky Route Zero finally reached the end of the line, a mere seven years after the first of its five Acts was released. A little way over the horizon was the first Edge 10 in 18 months, as Media Molecule’s dazzling Dreams emerged from beta as both a co-operative creative tool par excellence, and a platform for artists to share their work with the world. And the much-anticipated Cyberpunk 2077 was just a few short months away. News was emerging of an outbreak of a novel coronavirus strain in Wuhan, but it was generally assumed that the outbreak would soon be under control. Then came fatalities and reports that the virus had spread overseas, and the mood changed.