Japanese video game giant Nintendo recently confirmed that production and deliveries of its flagship console, the Nintendo Switch, will be delayed due to the ongoing outbreak of the new coronavirus. More specifically, the outbreak has impacted the recently announced Animal Crossing: New Horizons version of the console, and Japanese pre-orders have been pushed back from the original date of February 8 to TBA.
In a statement released by Nintendo earlier, the company explained that the outbreak of the coronavirus has affected Nintendo's supply chain, which is slowing down production and delivery in Japan. As of the moment, Nintendo's announcement only covered the Japanese market. However, Daniel Ahmad, senior analyst at games market research firm Niko Partners, speculates that it could become a problem in other markets as well.
It is worth pointing out that the pre-orders for the Animal Crossing: New Horizons version of the Nintendo Switch recently opened in the United States. However, due to limited quantities and high demand, the console is currently sold out in almost every major video game retailer in the country. It is currently unclear when stocks of the pre-order for the console will be replenished, but due to production delays at Nintendo, it will likely take longer than expected.
The coronavirus, which continues to spread across the globe, has already claimed the lives of over 500 people. Given that the majority of Switch's production is done in China, then it will likely affect the global distribution of the Nintendo Switch and possibly other electronics that are manufactured in the country.
In a statement released to CNBC, Ahmad said that "When looking at game consoles specifically, we note that 96% of video game console imported into the U.S. in 2018 were produced in China. Whilst companies such as Nintendo have moved manufacturing abroad, China still accounts for the majority." At the moment, the release date of the upcoming game, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is still on track with a launch date of March 20, 2020.
Meanwhile, the overall file size of Animal Crossing: New Horizons was recently discovered after an online leak of a German download card. According to reports, New Horizons will take up 6.2GB of unused space, which is notably larger than other major releases by Nintendo for the Switch. Moreover, the same leak also claims that it is possible that save data in New Horizons will not be transferable across consoles given that the download card for the game states, "the transfer of user and save data between consoles is not supported by this software." Although this information may be disheartening to some, it is worth knowing that this report hasn't been confirmed by Nintendo as of yet.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is set to release on March 20, 2020, exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.
Source: CNBC