While 2020 may officially be done with the first week of 2021 coming to a close, many of the lingering facets of life are going to remain. Covid-19 continues to impact all aspects of everyday life, with further fears coming from new variants from around the world. Throughout 2020, Covid-19 affected the gaming industry causing delays, updated working environments, and even cancellations. While video games have been a strong form of escapism, some students are using it as a learning platform.
One of the biggest shifts of Covid-19’s lockdown effects is that many families are required to work from home to prevent the spread of the virus. With numerous people having to share computers and laptops, scheduling can be an issue. However, one UK school student formulated a smart plan for struggling households.
The Birchgrove Comprehensive School posted a set of instructions on Twitter for how a gaming console can serve a learner’s needs. The idea came from William, one of the students in the Wales based school back in October of 2020. William displayed instructions for how PlayStation 4 and Xbox One players can access the HWB system, a platform design by the Welsh Government to assist in educational needs. In both cases, William figured out that the built-in browser based software was able to utilize the system on both pieces of hardware.
Considering William’s instructions came from October 2020, his notes only focus on the previous generation of consoles. With the launch of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles just a month later, those able to actually find the new hardware may be left out. While the PlayStation 5 does feature a “hidden” web browser, it likely won’t be able to utilize William’s instructions with the same kind of ease the PlayStation 4 had. As for the Xbox Series consoles, those still feature the same Edge browser found in the Xbox One meaning that both the X and S variants are up to the task.
Despite the strange times of the global pandemic, gaming platforms have become an interesting testing ground for new types of social interaction. Other schools have used games to have students attend classes and events. UC Berkeley used Minecraft to hold its graduation ceremony back in May with Justin Kan, the co-founder of Twitch, serving as guest speaker. Minecraft is even being used by the previously mentioned HWB as a learning tool.
With social distancing set to remain as a preventative measure for the foreseeable future, further gaming based solutions are likely to appear. Even game development has seen massive changes with workplaces adopting a work-from-home approach. Publisher Square Enix introduced a permanent work-from-home plan in December, with other gaming companies likely to follow suit.
Source: Push Square
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