So far, the coronavirus has had a pretty significant impact on the gaming world, with the disease causing multiple eSports events to be canceled or delayed. While Nintendo has begun to encounter supply issues in Asian territories due to the outbreak of coronavirus, the company doesn't believe that the disease will affect western sales of the console.
In a statement to Kotaku, Nintendo Acknowledged that the coronavirus was causing some issues to its supply in Japan and other Asian regions, but that the company didn't anticipate a "significant impact" on the availability of the console in North America and Europe, two other major markets for the system. The coronavirus caused Animal Crossing: New Horizon special edition Nintendo Switch delays in Japan, raising concerns among Nintendo's broader audience that more delays may be on the way.
Coronavirus continues to be an issue globally, as the disease continues to spread. Recently, coronavirus caused the delay of The Outer Worlds Switch port, as the port's developer's office was temporarily closed over concerns of the outbreak. It's an interesting case study of how global disasters can affect the games industry, something many gamers have a tendency to forget.
Now, concerns that the coronavirus could delay the PS5 and Xbox Series X have started to circulate. While the consoles won't be launching for months, if the disease persists it may lead to the production of the consoles being hampered, leading to supply shortages or outright delays as Sony and Microsoft scramble to meet the demand for the systems. It's difficult to tell if that will actually be the case, though time will tell.
Coronavirus is a serious issue, and hopefully, it's dealt with soon. It's had a tangible effect not just the games industry, but the world as a whole. Not to mention, the human cost that comes with the spread of disease. With any luck, modern medicine will be able to solve the issue quickly, though it's difficult to nail down how long that will take. Until then, Nintendo fans in North America and Europe can rest assured that their Switch demands will be met, at least for the time being.
Source: Kotaku