The Xbox Series X console is still scheduled to arrive on time, later this year, but whether there’ll actually be any games to play remains up in the air.
That comes straight from the horse’s mouth – Microsoft’s head of Xbox Phil Spencer. He has warned expectant gamers may face delays for new titles as developers struggle to adjust to life under lockdown.
Spencer called game production a “bigger unknown” due to the hundreds of folks necessary to work in perfect sync to bring a AAA title to fruition. Obviously, achieving that is a little bit harder in the WFH era.
In an interview with CNBC, Spencer said: “I’d say the bigger unknown is probably the game production, just being honest. Game production is a large scale entertainment activity now, you have hundreds of people coming together, building assets, working through creative.”
We’ve already seen games delayed by the coronavirus pandemic, including titles long in development such as The Last of Us 2 and Ghost of Tsushima. With social distancing measures likely to be enforced for months to come, devs will face incredible challenges to ensure the new console has enough new titles to keep gamers entertained.
Related: Xbox Backwards Compatibility
Spencer added: “On the game production side, we’re learning every day. I still feel good about it, but I also need to make sure that the security and safety of the teams is the most important thing, and not unduly push when things just aren’t ready.”
The Xbox chief’s comments come as the company plans to show off gameplay on the Series X for the first time. Microsoft is hosting an Inside Xbox event on May 7, which will stream live at 11am eastern time (4pm UK time).
We’re not sure what to expect in terms of titles just yet, but we’re hoping for Halo Infinite, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Cyberpunk 2077 gameplay. The rumoured Fable 4 might see a debut too. We’ll be reporting on next week’s Xbox Series X news as it happens, so stay tuned for all the goss’.
Editorial independence
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.
Editorial independence
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.