The deadly coronavirus affecting China is starting to have an impact on the video game industry. Since a number of games and consoles are manufactured in China, production issues have started to mount for publishers. As a result, The Outer Worlds has been delayed on Switch, and now Nintendo has delayed pre-orders for the new Animal Crossing Nintendo Switch console in Japan, due to the outbreak. The company was going to begin taking pre-orders in the territory starting February 8th, but Nintendo will determine a new date to start doing so in the future. Some US retailers are still taking pre-orders, but it remains to be seen if the console will still launch alongside Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
The Animal Crossing Switch bundle was revealed last week, and has already become a bit of a hot item for fans of the franchise. The system comes with an exclusive pair of pastel blue and green Joy-Cons, as well as a Switch dock adorned with the Nook family and an island representing the new locale in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. While previous Animal Crossing installments have started players in an established town or city, New Horizons has players building things from the ground-up, adding a new dimension to the classic formula. The Switch bundle perfectly fits the calming atmosphere of island life, as well as the more relaxing tone of the Animal Crossing series, which is probably why fans have been so eager to get their hands on it!
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In a news briefing, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa stated that production of the regular Switch console has also been impacted by the virus. At this time, all these delays seem to be temporary, but this could lead to a long-term problem for all of the console manufacturers if problems in the region persist.
Despite the fact that The Outer Worlds has been delayed as a result of the virus, Nintendo has not announced any sort of delay for Animal Crossing. Of course, it’s hard to worry about video games when people are suffering. As of this writing, more than 500 people have died as a result of the coronavirus, and more than 28,000 have been infected.
Are you planning on purchasing an Animal Crossing Switch bundle? Have you managed to secure a pre-order? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!
