Although it remains to be seen which areas of the games industry will be changed forever by the Coronavirus pandemic, many have already made some predictions. With a number ofmajor events being replaced by digital-only broadcastsand companies looking at improvised new distribution methods to get products into the hands of fans, it’s clear thing won’t be exactly the same when the pandemic eventually subsides.
CD Projekt Red, the developers behindThe Witcherseries andCyberpunk 2077,has its own theory on which aspect of the industry could be completely overhauled following the Coronavirus' impact, citing that digital games could see a meteoric rise in the coming years. Released in an earnings report, the company itself claimed that the tragic global event wouldn’t be too harmful to its business, however, it went on to claim that it could be a game-changer for how people purchase their favorite games.
RELATED:Neil Druckmann Reveals Big Reason Why The Last of Us 2 is Not Getting Early Digital Release
According to theCyberpunkdeveloper, this is because physical game sales are likely to decline rapidly during the outbreak, with many opting to buy the most highly-anticipated new releases digitally to avoid leaving the house. WhileCD Projekt Reddoes admit that it has not talked to its physical distribution partners, it claims that it could see consumers definitely leaning towards buyingCyberpunkon digital storefronts rather than relying on physical editions.
Looking at the news recently, it’s fairly evident the popular developer has a point, with titles likeDoom Eternal, Resident Evil 3,andAnimal Crossing: New Horizonsall experiencing delayed physical copy shipments in the wake of the pandemic. Square Enix eventold players that they might not receiveFinal Fantasy 7physical copies at launch, as it was far too difficult to ship out the required games due to the tragic global crisis.
The company’s words seem to echo thatCyberpunk 2077is still chugging along to its September release datein spite of the Coronavirus, with CD Projekt Red saying as much in a recent report. With the game clearly looking to revolutionize the RPG space and deliver fans a sprawling, expansive, and deeply immersive sci-fi tale befitting of the studio’s reputation, it will be a fantastic end to the year that will hopefully bring some joy to those deeply affected by the pandemic.
