games in 2021

Following on from part one's release yesterday, part two of our retrospective look back at 2021 takes a look back at the second half of the year, including the breaking of the biggest story of the year with Activision Blizzard embroiled in serious allegations of toxic misconduct, sexism and a lot more within the latter.

And it gets worse for the company over the course of the year before the bombshell report by the Wall St Journal that sees Activision Blizzard chairman and CEO Bobby Kotick pointed at for allegations against him as well as Activision. A story that continues to roll on and one that, despite numerous calls for his resignation, has not forced Kotick from the company as of this episode going out.

The second half of the year was also jampacked with numerous showcases, including big ones from Sony and Nintendo as well as The Game Awards and massive releases including Deathloop, The Artful Escape, Forza Horizon 5, Halo Infinite and a lot more.

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2021 has been a year, shall we say.

There is way too much to go over in text form what has happened, but to name a few: Ubisoft and Star Wars, Bethesda and Indiana Jones, Bethesda and Microsoft, closures of Japan Studio and Google Stadia’s first-party unit, the return of Nintendo Direct and releases of the likes of Hitman 3, Returnal, Resident Evil Village, Mass Effect: Legendary Edition and more.

Oh, and the return of E3. And that is just between the period between January and June. And before everything hits the fan the following month.

The first of a two-part feature-length Press Play goes over the year, the biggest news stories and biggest releases of the year within the first half of 2021.

Part two will feature July through to December, including the Activision Blizzard stuff that has happened over the majority of the second half of the year as well as in August and September, release silly season and more.

That will go live publicly tomorrow at the same time as this is now, 5pm GMT, but you can listen to part two right now if you become a $2 podcast early access tier to our Patreon here.

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