-
Ever wanted an RSS feed of all your favorite gaming news sites? Go check out our new Gaming Headlines feed! Read more about it here.
Do you think COVID19 will delay the Xbox Series X and PS5 launch?
- Thread starter Spades
- Start date
Yes as factories and major store warehouses are only focusing on important items like health care items and food I can definitely see it being delayed for the time being. Right now a lot of people are focusing on the their own well-being and health and making sure they don't get the virus. So right now I can see it delayed. It needs to be.
That's what I'm going for as information. If the iPhones get delayed then everything electronic will get delayed.
But to be fair though anyone who was already planning on buying it day one on launch would've been saving up for it already, now while i dont see a delay a shortage will most likely happen, and mix that in with the potential recession and we've got a Wii situation on our hands, a short supply given to those saving up for early adoption, sounds like a win win to me.
If over 20% of the population is unemployed and another 10-20% is barely getting by there will be no discretionary income allotted for such a purchase. Sony & Microsoft know this and will delay as themselves and 3rd party software publishers will not want a minuscule install base to sell games on.
This doesn't make sense, why?
If one of them is gonna get delayed whether it's because of manufacturing or affording the console this is something that'll affect both Microsoft and Sony, one of them wont have a different outcome to their competitor, they're both screwed.
Sorry to burst the bubble you are living in, BUT if you have $600.00 dollars saved up for a new system but Im out of a job then that money needs to go towards rent, utilities, food, etc.!!
The conversation with my girlfriend using your logic..."Sorry honey I know we only have ramen noodles to eat and we just received a turn off notice from the electric company and we are about to get evicted, but we cannot touch my Xbox Money because that was ear marked already earlier in the year and Im gonna go to Wal Mart atvmidnight and buy that instead of putting food on the table and a roof over our heads for another month"
I still think they will try and launch. Neither console manufacturer wants to hand the other a headstart, so both will do whatever it takes to not delay it, even if shipments are going to be low for a good while.
I agree with this but I'm going to lean no. I think they do anything they possibly can to launch in 2020.
Even if the hardware somehow magically makes it launch titles will definitely be impacted. We might get games that are rushed to make the deadline as devs work from home under suboptimal conditions. But maybe this could evoke change in crunch culture.
Hopefully it doesn't but I am predicting yes, depends on if it peaks and how it comes back afterward.
With a recession/depression likely to happen even in the best case scenario, and a lot of people working remotely it means all the work has slowed down. Both Sony and Microsoft will likely have to wait until more people are back in work. They'll likely have deep sales on current stuff to keep going for the time being and restore consumer confidence before moving onto the next gen.
It'll throw back things massively, but at this point there's no other reasonable option.
It'll throw back things massively, but at this point there's no other reasonable option.
I definitely believe it's possible but it's up in the air at this point, I feel like there's a 50/50 chance.
Two weeks ago I would have voted yes. But given that both Microsoft and Sony just came out last week and specifically maintained a Holiday 2020 launch date, I'm going with no delay.
It seems China has already peaked and factories could start coming back online shortly.
It seems China has already peaked and factories could start coming back online shortly.
For now I'm going to say no because it sounds like China seems to be getting back to relative normal so the manufacturing probably is far enough out to still be okay. I could see them slightly delaying it though if they're having difficulty with having the major software releases ready for launch. Obviously a lot of that work can be done remotely, but there is definitely some loss in productivity when everyone is spread out so it could cause some delays. You can't fully replicate being next to someone and having the instant connection when everyone is all over the place. It's also probably harder to get people to "crunch" when they're not physically at the office.
I feel like its going to be a launch where both are sold out real quick and are sold out for longer than usual but not delayed. but who knows.
At this point it may be best for Sony and Microsoft to delay the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X to Spring 2021. With these lockdowns it's very unlikely that developers will be able to finish any next-gen launch titles in time without completely rushing them out the door before they're done.
I'm guessing they will. Or if they make it they will be supply constrained. Or if only one gets delayed it will be the PS5. I can be patient and I'll be OK with whatever happens.
To me the only variable is supply chain readiness, which seems to be coming back in China for the most part. I don't buy the worry about consumer spending aspect. All the prep work for the consoles is done. They might lower manufacturing targets due to the recession, but there isn't really a benefit for them holding off the launch, unless things deteriorate so far that it would be a massive PR hit for them to launch them.
I think consoles (VERY FEW) will be available on their target date. It'll be a very slim launch, like Xbox 360, but technically, they'll be out there.
I think they still come out November or December.
They are clear competitors and if one pushed to 2021, but the other doesn't, then the 2020 console has a clear advantage
They are clear competitors and if one pushed to 2021, but the other doesn't, then the 2020 console has a clear advantage
Obviously. With the greater impact it is having on the economy, people won't see a need to buy the new PS5, Xbox, iPhone and all these non essential techs when their current tech gives them all the entertainment they need.
People priorities things differently when they have to be more concerned about their money and what important things they should be buying.
It would be best if the PS5 and Xbox X was delayed to 2021 and hopefully by then the economy will stabilize or recover by then. Average consumer won't rush to buy next gen when their COD, NBA 2K, Madden, Fifa and the free to play games work perfectly well in their current system of choice.
People priorities things differently when they have to be more concerned about their money and what important things they should be buying.
It would be best if the PS5 and Xbox X was delayed to 2021 and hopefully by then the economy will stabilize or recover by then. Average consumer won't rush to buy next gen when their COD, NBA 2K, Madden, Fifa and the free to play games work perfectly well in their current system of choice.
It will really depend on where the world economy is after this and how we all recover. I'm very grateful to be working in an industry that is not affected as much by this, but I know that is not the case for a large percentage of the world's population. It would almost seem a bit insensitive to launch expensive devices if the world were still in a bad place, but that's my heart talking out loud. It's a delicate balance.
I havent heard anything yet, but I would personally bet on it.... everyone is struggling right now just to make supporting assets for game communication, let alone what it's like to have to move thousands of coders and developers to a WFH infastructure, which currently doesnt exist in most places. Studios are at minimal capacity right now, so pipelines will take awhile to ramp up. you dont want to launch without games. Even talking about shipping physical shipment of some games entirely and going digital only, so i can't even imagine what it must be like trying to figure out the logistics of physical development and shipment of hardware right now. this virus is going to have impact on all walks of life for awhile.
I don't think so as 1/ the virus is pretty much done in China or so it seems and 2/ developers are still working on their games.
Edit: if my second point is unlikely as seen in the post above me, then I can see a delay being a thing.
Edit: if my second point is unlikely as seen in the post above me, then I can see a delay being a thing.
Correct, Console launches live with the hype. If they only sell half or even lower than that on launch, the voices will get louder that the system(s) are commercial failures. if they want to deflect that narrative with the Pandemic, many will ask why the fuck they even launched a product that is designed to be used for 10 years in the one year with the biggest pandemic the world has ever seen.
Only a launch after Summer 2021 makes sense. be the product that people remember buying AFTER the horrible Pandemic was over, a sign of rebirth, a new beginning and all that psychological stuff.
What happens when both get a slow start and previously next-gen-only third-party titles have to scramble up old-gen support because they can't survive with next-gen (+pc and switch) sales alone due to low numbers?
My prediction if they really release this year:
- few sales and comparisons to "the WiiU of xxx"
- a very good chance that the generation will be cut massively short
- 30% chance of a "refresh" after 3 years
- 70% chance of a completely new console generation after 3 to 4 years to get the momentum back
- possibly at the same time the Switch2 would release.
Of course he says that. Until he says otherwise. I don't trust any corporation that "feels good" about the economic situation right now.