A vibrant display of a white PlayStation 5 and a black Xbox Series X console with a controller, surrounded by neon-outlined screens and logos for video games like FC 24, Grand Theft Auto VI, The Matrix Awakens, and social media apps like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.

The ninth generation of video game consoles, like PlayStation 5 (pictured) and Xbox Series X, were both released in 2020. Games for PlayStation 5 such as FC 24, The Matrix Awakens, and Overwatch 2 used HyperMotion and Unreal Engine 5 to display more realistic graphics. Grand Theft Auto VI is planned for release on ninth generation consoles in 2026. The video-sharing site TikTok became a major influence on pop culture and the music industry in the early 2020s. Short-form videos have increased in viewership through TikTok, Instagram Reels, Facebook Reels and YouTube Shorts during the decade. TikTok is under an unenforced ban in the United States in 2025, due to national security concerns. The video-sharing site TikTok became a major influence on pop culture and the music industry in the early 2020s. Short-form videos have increased in viewership through TikTok, Instagram Reels, Facebook Reels and YouTube Shorts during the decade. TikTok is under an unenforced ban in the United States in 2025, due to national security concerns. During COVID-19 and the streaming wars, multiple TV shows and films released on internet streaming services instead of theaters. Squid Game was a global success as a result of the streaming wars that began in the early 2020s, involving many new streaming services. Services such as Apple TV+, HBO Max, and Paramount+ were popular. Pictured above is the cast of Apple TV+'s Ted Lasso. During COVID-19 and the streaming wars, multiple TV shows and films See more