Coronavirus could lead to PS5 and Xbox Series X being delayed
As the deadly virus continues to spread across the world and death tolls rise, analysts feel Coronavirus could result in Sony and Microsoft pushing back their upcoming consoles.
PS5 and Xbox Series X are both scheduled to launch later this year, although Business Insider believes the unpredictable outbreak could result in production being delayed until things are hopefully brought under control. If so, we might not be seeing them in 2020.
Almost 90% of console hardware is manufactured in China, leading analysts to think that the virus could lead to production being delayed, thus having a knock-on effect to the planned release dates for both consoles. It’s certainly plausible, and would be out of the country’s console if things don’t improve.
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Nintendo and Apple have already warned of potential stock shortages for the Switch and iPhone respectively, both of which are also produced in China. “If [company] shutdowns exceed a month or so, game schedules will be delayed. New consoles may likewise suffer supply issues from a prolonged disruption, ahead of their autumn 2020 planned launches,’ explains The Jefferies Group.
An upcoming port of The Outer Worlds on Nintendo Switch has also been delayed, since Virtuos Studios, the company behind the project, operates out of China. Now it will be launching in April, although a concrete date remains unconfirmed due to the unpredictability of it all.
Beyond a few features and a handful of confirmed games, details on the PS5 and Xbox Series X remain cloudy, with major reveals expected from both companies in the coming months. We’re yet to receive details on pricing, launch games and exact hardware specifications, all information we’re itching to be told.
Here’s hoping we aren’t subject to a delay for the shiny new consoles, although we’d opt for Chinese civilians prioritising their own safety and pushing production back if that’s the only option. Time will tell, but we’ll be keeping our fingers crossed for now.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
