The U.K. video games industry has designated June 20 and June 21 as "Play & Talk" weekend to combat loneliness amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.
A survey from Britain's Office of National Statistics (ONS) showed that more than 30 percent of people in the U.K. have felt lonely during the pandemic lockdown.
The figure rises to nearly 51 percent among people aged 16-24. The Play & Talk weekend wants to help reduce feelings of isolation by getting people to spend time and chat with friends or family online. "We've seen people around the world turn to video games to socialize and have fun with friends and family during the pandemic," said Jo Twist, CEO of The Association for U.K.