The world is in an interesting place right now. On one hand, great new video games like DOOM Eternal, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and Half-Life: Alyx have players wrapped up in a variety of digital worlds. On the other, the world has sunken into relative chaos, as tensions from the coronavirus, coupled with plenty of other issues, has caused a fair amount of anxiety among denizens of the Earth.
Outside of video games, people have found it difficult to find things to look forward to. With most of the world currently stuck in self-quarantine, locking themselves away inside to thwart the spread of the coronavirus, there's little to do other than escape to a digital world. That puts the Xbox Series X and PS5 in an incredibly strange position, as it's a very bad year for new consoles to be hitting the shelves.
It's true– a lot of the problems currently associated with the consoles stem from the coronavirus, but that's not entirely it. There are some fears that the virus could delay the PS5 and Xbox Series X, which would also be problematic, though possibly for the best, ultimately. Production has already been hindered in multiple countries, and the virus shows no signs of improving anytime soon. This isn't an issue that will subside in a matter of days or weeks; rather it may continue for months.
There are bound to be some growing pains when it comes to messaging for the consoles. With E3 canceled this year, Microsoft is having to shift to a digital format for its presentation. Sony had already been planning something similar, as the company had dropped out of the show for the second year in a row, so out of the gate it has a stronger position, at least in the regard. That may not be as convincing as reading impressions from those that have gone hands-on with the consoles, and it's unclear if it will be as easy for Sony and Microsoft to market their machines that way.
But even if the marketing campaigns are successful, there are other barriers that may keep the consoles from performing as well as they need to. For those that rely on GameStop for all of their video game needs, particularly those in rural areas where digital downloads take days and there aren't many other alternatives, the future is unclear. GameStop, finally, closed its doors due to the pandemic, instead opting for digital shopping and curbside pick up.
That was the right thing to do, but it may very well mean the death of the company. GameStop is hemorrhaging money, and coronavirus could be the last nail in GameStop's coffin. If GameStop does go out of business, distribution of the consoles will be hindered quite a bit, making it incredibly difficult for some consumers to get their hands on them in the first place.
Beyond that barrier, Sony and Microsoft suddenly have to worry about a struggling economy. While profit margins are hardly the biggest issue in the face of a pandemic, it does mean that consumers are making less money. The PS5 and Xbox Series X are both powerful consoles, but power comes at a price. While neither console has revealed its price tag yet, and there are rumors that there could be a budget next-gen Xbox, many will be much less inclined to pick up new consoles on day one, should they cross too high of a price threshold.
For many, the solution would be to buckle down and start saving now, but with businesses closing, events being canceled, and many being forced to stay at home, that may not be as easy as it was three months ago. For those that now have budget being groceries in surplus due to being home 24/7, all with potentially reduced income, keeping aside any money for something as frivolous as a video game console is just a tad bit ridiculous.
Microsoft is in a better position for this than Sony is. Microsoft, fundamentally, is building a platform rather than just releasing a new console. It has Project xCloud on the horizon, and has been transparent about the Xbox Series X not having exclusives for roughly two years, opting to release games on a variety of platforms. Sony, on the other hand, and looking at next-gen as a traditional console cycle, with plan likely being to leave behind the PS4 when it can.
Ultimately, what does this mean for the consoles? A setback, to be sure, but not a death sentence. Consoles generations span for years, with many waiting to upgrade to new hardware until they come down in cost, have a better library, or any number of other reasons. If anything, the consoles are more than likely going to have a false start rather than be utter failures. PlayStation sales numbers have been impressive this console generation, and while the goal, ultimately, is to grow its user base, there may be a prolonged transition period regardless.
This simply equates to people taking more time two switch over to next-gen hardware, and while that would hold the industry back to some degree, it isn't the worst thing to happen, all things considered. Of course, this all depends on how long the world remains in such a tumultuous state. If the general populace acts responsible, remaining in self-quarantine and practicing social distancing, this may not happen in the first place.
That all depends though. The odds of the consoles being delayed is starting to seem pretty likely, as they'd need to begin manufacturing soon, if they haven't already, to get the right amount of availability for this holiday season, or, barring that, whenever they're ready to be released.
This is an incredibly strange time, both for video games and the world. So much happening at once is unprecedented. The next few months are sure to be something of a roller coaster ride for many out there, but one can hope that everything shakes out alright by the end. Everyone will just have to wait and see.
