Gamers Should Brace for More Release Date Delays in the Near Future
Earlier today, Naughty Dog and Sony announced that, due to the ongoing impact of the coronavirus pandemic, The Last of Us Part 2 would be delayed for a second time. Unfortunately, this is unlikely to be the only game which winds up being affected by current events. As other upcoming launches draw near and studios have to grapple with new logistical hurdles, gamers should brace for more release date delays; especially for larger, triple-A games.
COVID-19 Will Continue to Cause Release Date Delays
In their announcement today regarding the delay of The Last of Us Part 2, Naughty Dog didn’t cite any specific problem. Rather, the studio referred to “logistics,” which were proving difficult, while also stressing that they (and presumably Sony) wanted; “to make sure everyone gets to play The Last of Us Part 2 at the same time.”
Of course, any release during this time, whether digital or retail, is likely to face unprecedented difficulties. However, it is the retail side of things which faces the most severe problems at present. With most retail stores currently in lockdown and people across the world in quarantine or self-isolation, it would be practically impossible to try and release a retail game at present.
Naughty Dog’s statement seemed to imply that the studio (and more likely, Sony), don’t want to stage a staggered release. If they were to release the game on digital stores only, with a retail release months later, it’s likely that the game’s revenue would be lower than they want. Of course, people are less likely to spend money on new games with so many other, real-world concerns at present. However, Sony would also have to spend much more money on marketing the game for two separate releases.
These hurdles won’t be unique to The Last of Us Part 2. Other upcoming games, like Ghost of Tsushima or Cyberpunk 2077, could well run into similar problems. As such, gamers should be prepared for more release date delays in the near future. These are unprecedented times, and if the situation doesn’t improve soon, it is likely to have long-term ramifications. Live industry events like E3 have already been cancelled, with no plans to rearrange; release dates are likely to go the same way. Developers have no assurances of when conditions will change at the moment. Hence, why The Last of Us Part 2’s new delay is indefinite, rather than to a specific date.