2024 has been a surprising year. Games from small teams — like Palworld, Balatro, and Animal Well — rocketed up the sales charts, outstripping titles with much larger budgets. Meanwhile, Nintendo finally produced a Zelda game headlined by the titular princess, and Sony debuted Astro Bot, a platformer so pristine that it drew comparison to the best Mario games. But overall, big releases from major companies have slowed as mass layoffs continue to rattle the increasingly consolidated industry.
As perilous as 2024 has been for people who make games, it’s offered a diverse bounty for those who play them. NPR network staffers and contributors have explored this breadth, from