Will Next Gen Consoles Be Delayed?

Back when Covid 19 was considered a slight, innocuous complaint, half the world away, I don’t think anyone could have predicted the degree of public hysteria and inept governance we’ve witnessed to try and tackle what is now a potentially devastating epidemic. The kind of administrative improvisations we’ve suffered so far are the kind of reactionary posturing you’d expect to see from an action movie depiction of authority. Invidious decisions enacted by individuals that have continually dismissed the cautious recommendations of some plucky, neurotic, yet unusually attractive scientist, that has preached vigerously about this very specific scenario and implications for the world. I’m surprised the world’s leaders haven’t migrated to some exotic island in the middle of the Mediterranean or Space Station and launched missiles at the major cities around the globe. You know: just to be sure! But its clear from the lunacy aroused by Covid 19 that there are no existing provisions for such a malignant hazard to developed society. No measures to adequately protect the public and no contingencies to preserve the a now faultering economy. And this is going to have irreparable consequences for years to come, across every industry. Including gaming.

Though there’s been no official indication that any significant postponement is expected to happen, its liable that both a PlayStation 5 and Xbox X delay is inevitable. With the increasing economic uncertainty afflicting the global market, rising unemployment and the logistical nightmare of operating an underutilised business with a fluctuating workforce, whilst negotiating the release of such an expensive resource vital to the economical future of both companies, its evident that such important hardware will have to be delayed. Despite Phil Spencer’s cursory insistence that the new Xbox won’t be pushed back, even if individual games are delayed, persevering with a release even with a provisional, late 2020 release would be commercial suicide. With global furloughs, deferrals and redundancies, people are going to be more protective of their money. With most unable to justify a £500 excess before all of this uncertainty, let alone when people’s wages have been reduced or they’re jobs lost.

As rumours persist in regards to pricing, specifications, exclusives, release schedule and the general comparative similarities between the two ecosystems, is any of that really relevant right now? Sadly not. As much as it pains me to say this, especially considering the ailing state of my PS4, the immediate postponement of next gen consoles is a regrettable, yet necessary measure. One that could have salient repercussions for both companies.

What do you guys think? Should next gen consoles be delayed? Let me know in the comments below. Cheers. And stay safe.