Sony just lately introduced that The Last of Us Part 2 would be delayed indefinitely, as a result of influence of COVID-19.
The primary purpose given was logistics – as Final Fantasy 7 Remake just lately proved, it’s close to inconceivable to ensure everybody will get the game at across the similar time. People have been enjoying that for properly over per week, whereas digital consumers are ready for tomorrow’s official launch.
Now most of the retailers are closed down resulting from government-enforced restrictions, it’s unlikely bodily editions would make it to prospects in any respect. Then there’s the influence on supply firms, who’re probably taking a look at workers shortages as folks name in sick to self-isolate.
Still, some players are petitioning Sony to stay to the May 29 launch date for The Last of Us Part 2 and simply do a digital launch. After all, everyone seems to be caught indoors. Surely now could be the proper time to launch a game everybody needs to play? Unfortunately, it’s not so easy.
I spoke to my colleague, Chris Dring, at GamesIndustry.Biz for some extra context from the enterprise facet of Sony’s resolution. First up, the influence of misplaced bodily gross sales.
Physical gross sales
“The physical games market, overall, was still about 50% of all triple-A games sales over 2019 (GSD data),” Dring says. “In reality, in the case of a brand new game launch, that quantity may be as a lot as 60 to 70%. In some particular circumstances, even greater. The majority of recent releases are nonetheless bought in bins.
“The Last of Us Part 2 is the largest game launch from PlayStation since Marvel’s Spider-Man. Sony will understandably need to attain the widest group of individuals by way of all accessible distribution channels. Losing bodily retail outlets is a blow for a serious launch of this sort that may nearly definitely hurt its gross sales.”
Themes
Outside of that, there’s clearly the game itself. The Last of Us Part 2 is about in a world the place a lethal fungus has developed to contaminate people. Society has damaged down, and humanity is determined.
“Sony will be wary of marketing a game like this during the current crisis,” Dring explains. “Especially when you consider the content. So from a business perspective, it’s not a great time to launch a game of this importance.”
Pre-orders
The Last of Us Part 2 pre-orders are one other factor Sony will likely be considering. The writer has already been refunding digital pre-orders after eradicating the game from the PS4 retailer, and this course of is probably going far more easy than the choice.
“From a gamer perspective, there will be thousands of pre-orders for this game worldwide, including the special edition,” Dring says. “Converting these pre-orders to digital is an advanced process that’s not been tried earlier than, with the opposite choice being that those that need the game most of all, are pressured to attend for the outlets to re-open and the games to be distributed to them.
Internet speeds
Another level of consideration is web pressure. After all, Sony already introduced that it’s throttling download speeds on PSN.
“Sony is attempting to be accountable by way of its influence on web speeds globally, and thousands and thousands of individuals downloading The Last of Us Part 2 on May 29 is probably problematic,” Dring admits.
Retail
Outside of all of this, Sony will probably be doing its finest to maintain relationships with retailers candy for when life returns again to regular.
“The Last of Us Part 2 was a big release for Sony, but also for GAME and GameStop,” Dring says. “These retailers, love them or detest them, are actually essential to PlayStation. They promote consoles, they promote controllers, they do trade-ins so that folks can afford the most recent consoles.
“PlayStation will want these shops come the tip of the yr and the launch of PS5, and it is going to be doing all it will possibly to ensure they survive this present state of affairs. Making The Last of Us Part 2 a digital unique will likely be dangerous to a retail business that wants all the assistance it will possibly get proper now.
“Of course, PlayStation might launch The Last of Us Part 2 on May 29th if it actually wished to. But some followers will miss out on their bodily copy, gross sales will likely be decrease and retailers will likely be harm. It’s hardly a launch befitting a serious Naughty Dog launch.”
