Tell GR is a weekly Game Revolution community feature in which we ask you a question, and you answer it in the comments section below. Read the GR editorial team’s opinions before sharing your own responses!
We’re all facing an uncertain future right now, with the coronavirus causing much of the world to retreat back home and self-isolate for the foreseeable future. In an effort to limit the impact of the virus, many governments are asking citizens to stay at home, with this isolation period prompting many different reactions across the globe.
So how are you handling being stuck indoors? Are you picking up new hobbies, or are you using it as an opportunity to dive into some video games? Are you coping well, or are you missing the outdoors already? Let us know in today’s Tell GR.
“I’m doing my best to limit the impact”
Mack Ashworth, UK lead editor: Not much has changed for me. I’ve swapped the gym for home workouts, but that’s about it for lifestyle changes. I work from home anyway and I’m avoiding unnecessary travel. I’m just trying to do my bit to limit the impact of this virus, as while I’m fit and healthy myself, I would hate to catch it and spread it to others. I haven’t got too much faith in the U.K.’s approach, but I’ll just keep myself to myself and do the best I can.
My partner works in retail, however, so I’m a little worried about how chaotic stores are becoming. It’s early days here, but supermarkets have already been ransacked with people buying more than they need. Folks worrying about a shortage create the shortage themselves, sadly. Then there are those who are reselling… Not good.
If there’s a bright side, it’s that this is a good time to be a gamer. Call of Duty: Warzone is out and allows you to socialize without the risks, and soon we’ll have Doom Eternal and Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Those should help kill time.
“This isn’t the first viral outbreak I’ve been through … I got swine flu in the Army”
Jason Faulkner, senior editor: It’s business as usual for me right now. I work from home already, so no significant changes there. Louisville is boring, so I don’t go out a ton anyway, so no issues with social distancing. I’ve got plenty of games to work on, and I’m relatively content. This isn’t the first viral outbreak I’ve been through, so I’m finding it kind of hard to get too worked up about the whole thing.
The last big outbreak I remember was H1N1 (not to be confused with H1Z1). I was in the Army at the time, and they tried quarantining everyone, and they gave us all the swine flu vaccine. However, we all got swine flu anyway. That sucked way worse than what I’ve got going on right now. Since everyone had it (and swine flu is way less fatal than coronavirus), we still all had to make formation and do our jobs. We got Ibuprofen and throat lozenges, and light duty, and that’s about it. There was snot everywhere. It was disgusting.
Luckily, the rest of March and all of April will be jam-packed for me, so I won’t really notice any difference. I’m just keeping my fingers crossed no major titles get delayed (again) and throw off our calendar.
“Games are probably the best way to cope with this”
Michael Leri, lead writer: Things have been relatively normal for me, especially considering how big reviews have been keeping me inside more than normal. Nioh 2 took me over 60 hours to complete and that doesn’t even factor in all the time I spent writing about it. Dying over and over is an incredible distraction from the grim reality we are perpetually stuck in. And then I began reviewing Doom Eternal right after, which you can read right here.
Games are probably the best way to cope in this and I’m at least glad people have a few different experiences to pick from. From Animal Crossing, Nioh 2, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, and Doom Eternal, there’s a game for almost everyone.
However, while these are good at keeping our minds occupied, let’s not be selfish. There are plenty of people suffering physically, emotionally, and financially right now so always keep those people in your mind. You may not have E3 or GDC news to look forward to, but there are people in far worse spots than you having to wait a bit longer to learn about the PS5.
“Whining about not being able to go to bars seems trivial”
Paul Tamburro, executive editor: I always feel terrible about complaining about stuff like this, because you’ve got to consider that there are people who have it way worse. I may be going a little stir crazy and I’m definitely disappointed that so many plans for my year have already been canceled or postponed indefinitely, but when so many people are seeing their livelihoods stripped away and their well-being placed at direct risk, whining about not being able to go to bars seems trivial.
But this is impacting everyone in its own unique way, and while I’m in a privileged position in that I already work from home and both myself and my loved ones aren’t vulnerable in terms of our health, the prospect of a post-coronavirus world tilting society on its head is difficult to comprehend right now. As such, I’m counting down the days until Animal Crossing: New Horizons releases, which will at least give me some respite among the constant ripples of anxiety I’m feeling right now.
Game Revolution recommends all readers comply with CDC guidelines and remain as isolated as possible during this urgent time. Visit the Centers for Disease Control at CDC.gov or the World Health Organization at Who.int for the latest information on the coronavirus and learn what you can do to stop the spread.
