The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is having a profound effect on nearly all aspects of our lives, with gaming absolutely being no exception. Unsurprisingly, people are doing more gaming than ever while stuck at home, but the launches of many of this year’s biggest games, as well as Sony and Microsoft’s much-anticipated next-generation consoles, are now in serious question as publishers grapple with new development, manufacturing, and logistical challenges.
The gaming industry is doing a decent job of rolling with the punches for now, but how will the hobby be affected as we trudge deeper into 2020 and beyond? While it’s impossible to say how everything will shake out with anything approaching 100 percent certainty, here are some educated predictions based on everything we know now…
So yeah, nobody really knows what’s going to happen, but some of the forecasts in this article are made under the assumption that a) there will be an easing of restrictions sometime this summer, and b) there might be another spike in infections later this year. Ultimately, the only thing that’s going to put a permanent end to this mess is a vaccine, which probably isn’t coming until next year.
Looking at the confirmed and rumored dates, it seems like most, if not all, of these delayed games are eyeing early-to-mid summer launches. The reality is, most of these games are essentially finished – as the makers of TLOU2 have admitted, the delays are more due the logistic challenges of getting games in players hands during a pandemic. More than 50 percent of AAA game sales are still physical, so going fully digital isn’t really an option. It seems the publishers of these delayed games are making the bet restrictions will be dialed back this summer, allowing them to rush something into stores. Here’s hoping they’re right.
But what about the big 2020 games that have yet to nail down a specific dates, like Halo Infinite, Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, and Watch Dogs: Legion? Not to mention heavily-rumored titles, like the next Assassin’s Creed and the Call of Duty: Black Ops reboot? Unlike Cyberpunk and Avengers most of these games aren’t done and just waiting for a final spit polish, so expect at least a couple of them to slip. Even Activision, who usually wouldn’t delay a Call of Duty game under any circumstances, have admitted that, while on track now, they may have to reassess their release schedule soon.
Finally, what might be happening with those secretive first-party console launch titles? Xbox head honcho Phil Spencer has admitted delivering software for Xbox Series X is one of the biggest challenges they face, with things possibly being a bit lean at launch. Sony has been a lot quieter about what they’re preparing for the PlayStation 5 launch, but they’re likely facing the same issues everybody else is.
According to Microsoft, their supply chain is coming back online, as China has once again begun manufacturing electronics. That could always change, but Microsoft and other companies seem confident the factories are staying open. Again, per Phil Spencer, software is the real concern – the Xbox Series X itself is being built and will likely be on shelves this year, even if there’s not much new stuff to play on it. As for the PS5, according to a recent report, production of the new console hasn’t been seriously affected by COVID-19, but Sony is struggling to keep their costs down. Due to issues detailed above, and the fact that consumers may not be champing at the bit to buy expensive new hardware during a global pandemic and economic downturn, Microsoft and Sony may well opt for low-key launches with limited numbers of units available.
But what about PC gamers looking to upgrade their rigs? AMD’s upcoming RDNA-2-based Radeon RX Navi 2x graphics cards are slated to launch in October according to Wccftech’s sources, and the company has assured partners they should be able to fulfill commitments thanks to their “world class” manufacturing pipeline. Meanwhile, NVIDIA’s new Ampere-powered RTX 3000 GPUs are rumored to arrive in Q4 of this year, although we’ve heard much less about them. Ultimately, both AMD and NVIDIA’s new processors will probably arrive this year, as manufacturing shouldn’t be an issue, and a recession isn’t going to stop hardcore PC gamers from buying new graphics cards.
We’re all in this for the long haul, but gaming will survive, and in doing so, will help us survive. What are your thoughts on the current situation? Am I being too cautious about the effects COVID-19 will have on the gaming industry? Or too optimistic?