Sony and Microsoft are preparing to launch the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X respectively by the end of the year. However, there's a chance that the PS5 and Xbox Series X could be delayed thanks to the ongoing global health emergency that is the novel coronavirus.
The novel coronavirus, more widely known as the Wuhan coronavirus, is having a significant impact on Chinese manufacturing. And as it so happens, the PS5 and Xbox Series X are both manufactured in China. According to Jefferies Group, Chinese manufacturing companies being shutdown because of the coronavirus could potentially delay the PS5, the Xbox Series X, and the video games that are being released alongside them. It's also possible that the coronavirus won't cause any PS5 or Xbox Series X release date delays, but it may still cause less consoles to be produced, resulting in a shortage come the holidays.
Nintendo has already announced that the Animal Crossing: New Horizons Switch bundle is being delayed in Japan due to the coronavirus. It's possible that could become an issue in other places as well, especially since the Animal Crossing: New Horizons Switch bundle was likely being produced in comparatively limited quantities anyway.
Besides potentially delaying the next generation of video game consoles, the coronavirus has had other impacts on the game industry. For example, it actually made Plague Inc. sales to spike last month, especially in China, where the virus is at its worse.
The coronavirus has also caused gaming events to be delayed or canceled. League of Legends Pro League Week 2 was delayed because of the virus, and various Overwatch League events in China were outright canceled. The Taipei Game Show was also postponed to a later date due to concerns over the coronavirus and the way it is currently impacting international travel.
There's no denying that the coronavirus has already had a significant impact on the gaming industry. However, it remains to be seen if it will actually cause any delays for the PS5 and Xbox Series X. There are over 28,000 reported cases of the coronavirus so far, but steps have been taken in an attempt to keep it contained. We should have a better idea of if the PS5 release date or the Xbox Series X launch will be influenced by the coronavirus.
Source: Business Insider
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