Microsoft has confirmed that the COVID-19 outbreak will not delay the production of the Xbox Series X.
As GamesRadar reports, Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella told CNBC that production is “getting back on rails”.
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This is in line with what we have heard about other manufacturers — like Apple and the iPhone 9, which is reportedly back on track to launch on time. Nadella’s comments also line up with a previous report that the Xbox Series X may be unaffected by coronavirus despite Surface and Windows products potentially taking a hit.
Of course, Xbox Series X production is only half of the story. While Nadella made clear that Microsoft will most likely have enough units ready to satisfy demand for the 2020 holiday season, we still don’t know how the situation across the globe or the United States will be when that time comes.
There are also many unknowns that may affect retail sales, as most major stores are closed down for the foreseeable future. But that may not affect door-to-door distribution for people ordering the Xbox Series X online.
Nadella did warn that the pandemic is putting Microsoft’s cloud services under heavy stress as a result of a surge of new people working from home. This may remain the case for a while, too, as things are getting worse in the U.S. at an exponential rate with a third of the world population already under quarantine.