Ghost of Tsushima, Sucker Punch's upcoming open-world action game for the PS4, is trending on Twitter. Unfortunately, it's not trending for very positive reasons. Ghost of Tsushima remains on-track for release June 26, as of the last update from Sony. After today's delays of both The Last of Us 2 and Iron Man VR, however, PS4 fans are worried that Ghost of Tsushima will be next.
To be clear, there's no overt message from the PlayStation team indicating that Ghost of Tsushima is going to be delayed. There is absolutely an indirect insinuation, however. Following the announcement of The Last of Us 2 and Iron Man VR being delayed, PlayStation also said, "Currently, there are no other delays to report, but we'll keep you updated." It would be safe to expect more delays to come.
The reason why The Last of Us 2 and Iron Man VR were both delayed, and the reason other games are to follow, is "logistics." While digital sales of games are a huge portion of modern console game overall sales and are only increasing, retail remains a huge factor. In the current COVID-19 pandemic, manufacturing, shipping, and retail outlets are unprepared for game releases. Final Fantasy 7 Remake is a good example, with Square Enix allowing it to be sold early. A worldwide release is not currently realistic, or at least not safe.
Given the issue with logistics, it would be safe to assume that other games planning to launch at retail in the coming months will have to face a similar question. Is it best to delay or to struggle through? PlayStation has delayed its games slated to release through May. Ghost of Tsushima is currently planned for June. It's certainly possible that COVID-19 issues will last through then, or even further.
Regardless of whether Ghost of Tsushima is eventually delayed, fans are vocalizing their hopes and sadness via Twitter right now. It's not the only game, either. Fans are also sharing their worries about Cyberpunk 2077, Marvel's Avengers, and even Halo Infinite.
No one knows how long the COVID-19 pandemic will prevent businesses from being open, so even worst-case scenarios are being considered. The truth is, no fans know what's going to happen until it happens, but everyone should keep game developers' health and happiness in mind.
Ghost of Tsushima releases June 26 exclusively on PS4.