gaming Games to release Digitaly (at this time)

[LegoDashie 1,806]

So becouse of the whole virus going on apparently The Last Of Us 2 got delayed and they said it was for polish but i think it was becouse of the virus going around... anyways at this time should games that are coming out this year just release them Digitally so people can download them from home ? i know some people may not have good internet but i think it would be a safer way then after the situation is over they can re release them again physically.

what do you guys think ? delay or digital only for now ?

[Dashy 4 Ever 4,832]

I think that option might be more of a last resort, since the producers of all these great games coming out want everyone to buy it however they want, either digitally or as a hard copy so it would appease to more people. But who knows?

[Thuja 3,658]

The most recent livestream of Ashes of Creation(an mmorpg set to come out in possibly a few years or more since it IS an mmo) the devs on that stream were talking about taking precautions from spreading the virus so they mostly work from home.  Understandably, not everyone can work from home for whatever reason and I think that's one of the ways video games or DLC gets delayed because it's harder to work from home for some people.  The devs on that livestream were talking about how difficult it was and it might even delay their game if the worries over this virus go on for too long.  They're also an indie studio so it isn't like they have a constant stream of money coming in from anything else so if this virus continues for the long term, let's say about a year, I worry that that might impact indie studios and it might even cancel games.

imo, if we don't have a crippling of the global economy after all of this is over, I'll be pleasantly surprised.

I hope I'm wrong though

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 40,439]

Digital only releases for now seems like the best conclusion, but this whole situation is tricky. Doing that could further hurt retailers that are already getting hit hard by this ordeal. Most people won't bother with those retailers if a game releases digitally, the different storefronts already have digital releases down like a science. A Gamestop store in a city near me is doing a policy where only employees are allowed in the store. You have to call them from outside to let them know what you want and you can only pay with a card. I mean, I guess that strategy works for what it is but it certainly was another reminder of how messed up things are right now.

[EpicEnergy 22,355]

I'd much rather have games release both digitally and hard copies.