Whether our Covid-reality becomes the new normal or we return to a pre-pandemic way of life, the role of technology in the media industries is here to stay.

Media streaming, computer-heavy production and post-production, and storage of these files will only increase the need for programmers, visual effects artists, and other IT professionals to ensure that the new media environment continues to function.

Post-production for many film and television projects has become increasingly tech-heavy. From CGI to sound mixing to lighting effects to editing, post-production effects are important and often unsung roles within the media industries. Many of these positions require specialised equipment and their work cannot be done from home as easily, so these roles may be unaffected by the work-from-home switch that many office workers are living through.

Blurring the lines between media and gaming

From the explosion of e-sports to the increasing popularity of game-to-film adaptations, video gaming is one of the fastest-growing media sectors. What started as a niche, counter-culture, and predominantly male sector has evolved into a global behemoth industry that attracts players from all walks of life. According to Newzoo, there are 2.7 billion gamers worldwide, an increase of 6.4% from 2019, and numbers are projected to reach three billion by 2023.

For media firms, the increasing appeal of gaming makes for lucrative bottom lines; the global games market is projected to generate revenues of nearly $160 billion in 2020, more than double the size of the global music industry and 50% larger than the global film industry according to TechCrunch.

As games and their associated storylines become more popular, it’s likely that more games will be adapted into films and television shows. While games have been turned into films since the 1980s, it’s only in recent years that they have become more successful. Before 2019 no video game film had received a ‘fresh’ rating from Rotten Tomatoes, but three films did in that year: Pokémon Detective Pikachu, The Angry Birds Movie 2, and Sonic the Hedgehog. Though game adaptations are rarely critically successful, they generally perform well at the cinema where they are able to capitalise on their existing fan bases.

E-sports is a rapidly growing subsector of gaming. Organised competitions between both professional and amateur players have become increasingly popular in the last decade, though competitions have taken place for as long as video games have existed. Today, there are multiple leagues for players, and some international competitions take place in large stadiums capable of holding upwards of 30,000 people. E-sports has become a career for many gamers, and as e-sports and gaming gain more recognition by governments, sporting bodies, and the wider population, the gaming industry will only continue to grow.

_{Read the articles within Report: Media Cities below.}