The coronavirus has China firmly in its grip and this could also impact the gaming industry. Analysts estimate that the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X could be delayed in their market launch.
This is the situation: The coronavirus has hit the country of China the hardest. Over 30,000 infected cases have already been counted and numerous cities in China are in a state of emergency.
This also affects the production of many products. Many companies are closed and currently nothing can be produced. A developer studio has already given away a game so that citizens have something to do at home.
This could also have an impact on the release of the next-gen consoles PS5 and Xbox Series X, which are also manufactured in China. A report from analysts speaks of delays.
Coronavirus hinders iPhone production
What is being reported: The site “Nikkei Asia Review” states that some employees of Foxconn, who are responsible for iPhone production, are in quarantine. Production there is largely at a standstill. Thus, the virus could also affect the production of the new iPhone.
This connects to the consoles: The Businessinsider picks up this source and supplements it with a report from Jefferies Group, which is a major investment bank in the USA. It states that companies are currently working on the production of the new console generation.
Furthermore, it states: “If [the company] remains closed for more than about a month, the schedule will be delayed. New consoles may also suffer from supply issues if they are not finished well before the planned launch in autumn 2020.”
This is particularly critical because almost 100% of the production takes place in China, although a large part of it is exported back to Europe or the USA.
What does this mean for the consoles? Currently, there are no reports that the coronavirus has also broken out among the employees of the production companies of the new consoles, but in the case of the iPhones, it is certainly conceivable.
In response to an inquiry from BusinessInsider, neither Microsoft nor Sony provided a statement regarding their production.
Only from Nintendo is it known that the coronavirus has a negative impact. The company has already confirmed that the delivery of the Nintendo Switch to Japan will be slightly delayed.
When are the new consoles actually supposed to be released? Both companies announced their next-gen consoles for the Christmas business in 2020. However, there are still no exact release dates.
Are you looking for more info on the PS5? Then check here:
