Following the outbreak of COVID-19, several different aspects of the world economy have been impacted. However, the games industry, for the most part, has reaped plenty of benefits, especially after the release of the widely anticipated Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Now that game shops all across Japan have re-stocked their shelves, many Japanese citizens have gathered to purchase the new Animal Crossing game as well as Ring Fit Adventure.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the latest game in the Animal Crossing series. Since its release in late March, it has already sold millions of copies worldwide. It has also become a high-value title in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, though, due to its high demand, Animal Crossing, along with Ring Fit Adventure, has begun to see shortages of physical copies.
As people around the world choose to stay indoors, it's becoming harder for them to stay occupied. Thus, video games have become the perfect outlet for people who are looking for something fun to do to wait out the quarantine. However, this again has led to many shortages as well as eBay users reselling the games at marked-up prices.
Fortunately, most Japanese game shops have since re-stocked their shelves with physical copies of Ring Fit Adventure and Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Though, this has led to long lines out the doors of these game shops, filled with people hoping to purchase either one or both of these games. Even though the inventory for most of these stores will run out almost immediately, at least now a lot of new people will be able to enjoy the new Animal Crossing.
While the COVID-19 pandemic has left the entire world in a really bad position, it has also allowed for so many people to come together and bring positivity in the face of this disease. Even if the disease is technically keeping people apart from one another. Hopefully, the pandemic will pass soon.
That being said, while the gaming industry has technically gained a lot from this pandemic, COVID-19 has also impacted the gaming industry in a rather terrible way. The outbreak has led to many game studios having to delay the release of their games, the most heartbreaking being the release of the highly anticipated The Last of Us Part 2.
Both Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Ring Fit Adventure are available now for Nintendo Switch.
Source: GoNintendo