The biggest gaming trends in 2014

Check out all of our Best of 2014 coverage here and Worst of 2014 coverage here.

Yesterday, you read all about the worst of what had stuck to the gaming industry in 2014. Today, I bring you the biggest happenings of the year (good or bad). The following five happenings best describe the better half of the past 12 months of gaming culture. As such, you won’t find recurring trends we see every year here, like massive layoffs, games getting delayed into next year, major console-makers dueling each other with “exclusive” game deals, or big-name company heads leaving their cushy gigs for other — likely just as cushy — gigs elsewhere.