The Last of Us Part II delayed by coronavirus – is this the start of a trend? - MW
On Thursday evening, Sony announced via its PlayStation Twitter feed that the long-awaited sequel to the post-apocalyptic adventure The Last of Us Part II will be delayed indefinitely. Logically, the message has been read, the global crisis prevents us from providing the start-up experience that our players deserve.
Game developer Naughty Dog has released a longer statement, again accusing the global disruption caused by the Covid-19 epidemic.
We were faced with the fact that due to logistics beyond our control, we couldn't launch our last Part II to make us happy, '' the tweet said. We want to make sure everyone can play our Final Part II at the same time, making sure that we do everything we can to maintain the best experience for everyone. This means delaying the game until we can resolve these logistical problems.
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The use of video games has exploded during widespread social isolation, with online game services often struggling to keep up with demand. And with around 80% of game sales currently coming from digital downloads, according to the Entertainment Retailers' Association, it appears the domain has been resistant to the coronavirus.
However, successful video games like The Last of Us II always tend to sell more copies in physical rather than digital form; often because the main audience has little experience in online shopping or because buyers take advantage of pre-order offers and discounts in stores and supermarkets. The most successful game in the UK in 2018, Fifa 19, earned 75% of revenue from physical products rather than digital downloads.
What The Last of Us Part II delay shows is that store closings and disruptions in the physical software production and distribution pipelines are still problematic for the industry. games.
Our last episode II, by all accounts and appearances, seems to have ended, so this is a business decision, according to Seth Barton, editor of the industry news publication. MCV / Develop. Sony Sony fears that the crisis will hinder the launch of the best title this year. Bricks and mortar retail still accounts for a significant portion of sales, especially the biggest titles, and with each Game Digital store in the UK and each GameStop in the US closed, launching a real Great Game now you will cost. In addition, it is also possible that the crisis has delayed the production and shipping of high-margin collector versions of the game.
And if our last part II becomes a victim of the uncertainty and disturbances surrounding Covid-19, it will probably be released in other major versions. Titles such as Ghost of Tsushima and Cyberpunk 2077, which will also be released in the coming months, could also be affected - if not because sales and production channels then disrupted the development process.
Barton Although great games were created long ago by teams in scattered locations, it is far from ideal for your employees to work from home, according to Barton. The process of bringing big game to life is a complex problem, and some factors, such as performance shooting, motion capture and [quality assurance], will be difficult to remove. dedicated area.
The ban on quality assurance is a special type of stinky bug, specifically launched in the industry due to the incredible secret and constant change of watches to come. Sending test kits and codes to housing inspectors appears to be difficult and potentially risky.
Game developer Will Luton, who currently heads Play's consulting division, reiterated the challenges that Covid-19 brought with testing the game. For the control panel, everyone should have access to the test suite for developers. There are often fewer than necessary and they are shared in a studio, the QA department using the shift to cover 24-hour coverage. Thus, getting them into the house and placing the right people at the right time will be a logistical challenge, especially if we consider the technical aspects of these kits safe in a building.
This winter is also expected to host two major console launches: PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. But, due to dependence on complex production and distribution channels, we must have tens of thousands of units in the digital and physical stores, can we see Microsoft and Sony rethinking the calendar?
It depends on China's ability to control viruses, especially in Shenzhen, the global electronics factory, because there there is no place where you can actually move production. , according to Mr. Barton. In addition, the supply of components could be affected, although the initial slowdown often seems to have increased again.
Luton also pointed out security concerns when employees work from home while developing and testing PS5 and Xbox Series X titles. I imagine Sony and Microsoft would be reluctant to use next generation hardware. them in a private place and they certainly won't want to send one there. But they will have to change the policy as the lockout continues.
One positive factor is the digital channels there if necessary.
Luton said production of optical media will slow down when the supply chain is disrupted and the retail brick and mortar business has completely disappeared. As people spend more money and time on games, much of the sales channel is gone. I would be very surprised if some AAA games now try to come out only in digital form, as some Hollywood blockbusters have tried with a direct approach. But she is a great stranger.
In addition, it is a fact that important games such as The Last of Us Part II and Cyberpunk should be released on current generation consoles as well as on PCs - so there is a lot of hardware available. Can play these games.
Fortunately, it is the most flexible console market we have ever had. New consoles could be delayed by 2021 and we can still - allow Covid-19 - play all of these major releases this winter on our current hardware. It's boring to say, but we never need new hardware.
MW
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