Tag: Coronavirus
News Japan's Pokémon Centers Are Currently Closed Due To Ongoing State Of Emergency
Won't open again until September 12th
All of Japan's Pokémon Centers are currently closed, and will remain so until September 12th, it has been announced. The closures began on August 28th, and include Pokemon Stores, Pokemon Cafes, and Pikachu Sweet cafes. Last week, Japan declared a state of emergency in 8 of its 47 prefectures due to rising...
News PAX West Sets Strict Entry Requirements Ahead Of September Event
"The PAX team is steadfast in our commitment to health and safety"
After over a year of cancellations and shifts to online-only events, we're slowly getting to the point when in-person game expos will resume. One that's not far away is PAX West, which is being held in Seattle from 3rd to 6th September. Tickets are already available for purchase on...
News The Pandemic Is So Bad In Japan That A Special Edition 'Pokémon GO' Pikachu Has Been Delayed
Was due for release on the 22nd July
Japan is currently struggling to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, having recently taken the difficult decision to hold the already-delayed 2020 Olympics behind closed doors – and there's more bad news on the way (for those who like catching Pocket Monsters on their phones, at least). Pokémon GO developer...
"This is capitalism"
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has changed the lives of millions of people all over the world in a variety of ways. Some of us have had to put up with the relatively mild inconvenience of stores being shut and schools closing, while others have seen loved ones succumb to the virus – or have even tragically lost their lives...
News Long Beach Residents Could Win A Nintendo Switch When They Get Their Covid-19 Vaccine
"We are going to continue to provide incentives... to get residents vaccinated"
The world is going through a phase of vaccination at present as it attempts to keep the Covid-19 pandemic in check, and in Long Beach, California, residents are being offered incentives to get themselves protected. As part of the city's incentive program to encourage...
News Super Nintendo World Forced To Close Just One Month After Opening
Update: USJ makes it official
Update (Fri 23rd Apr, 2021 14:45 BST): As suspected, the park's closure has now been made official by Universal Studios Japan. The company has shared a statement addressing the news, noting that its parks will be closed from this Sunday, 25th April until the requirements of Osaka's state of emergency have lifted...
75% fewer visitors will be allowed to enter
Super Nintendo World isn't off to the best of starts, as Universal Studios Japan announces a new visitor limit across all of its themed lands just weeks after Nintendo's area gets up and running (thanks, Kotaku). The Osaka Prefecture, where USJ is located, today posted a new single-day record of new...
Including "50 employees" in live events
It has been tough times for a lot of industries over the past year, and perhaps one of the most difficult aspects of the pandemic for the video game industry has been the cancellation of live shows including expos and e-sports events. As these in-person events are no longer happening, Activision Blizzard has...
Feature Switch Developers Open Up About The Impact Of COVID-19
We speak to Dotemu, Image & Form, SMG Studio and Playtonic Games
Most of you reading this will have encountered some sort of social restrictions over the past month or so due to the COVID-19 pandemic the world is currently experiencing. While security measures designed to combat the spread of the coronavirus vary on a per-country basis, necessary...
Feature Why Open A Video Game Shop During A Global Pandemic?
How one man is bucking the trend
2020 may have been a bumper year for video game sales, but it's impacted other businesses in a very negative way. Cinemas and restaurants have been forced to close to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and while video game sales have been buoyant thanks digital and online purchases, physical retail stores with no means...
News WB Pushing Ahead With Cinema Screening For Mortal Kombat, Digital Release Also Happening
Update: Will be streamed via HBO Max
Update [Thu 3rd Dec, 2020 22:15 GMT]: Warner Bros. has had second thoughts and will now release its entire 2021 slate in cinemas as well as via the streaming service HBO Max. This includes the new Mortal Kombat movie and other films like Dune and Matrix 4. While video games seem to have benefited from everyone...
News News Of COVID-19 Vaccine Causes Nintendo, Ubisoft And Activision Share Prices To Drop
World could return to normal by spring next year
2020 has been a pig of a year, thanks mostly to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic which has forced much of the world into lockdown and claimed the lives of over a million people. However, there is light at the end of the tunnel following the news that pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and BioNTech have...
News Sega Asks 650 Employees To 'Voluntarily Retire', Cuts Executive Salaries
Expects to record 10bn yen in extraordinary losses
Following this week's news that Sega Sammy is set to sell the majority of its shares in Sega Entertainment, the company has now announced that it is asking 650 employees to 'voluntarily retire' and will slash the salaries of top executives. The company, formed by a merger of both Sega and Sammy in...
News Switch Production "Has Almost Recovered" From Coronavirus Difficulties, Says Nintendo
As stock creeps back into stores
The Nintendo Switch hasn't been particularly easy to come by in recent months, with COVID-19 causing a number of supply and distribution issues all around the globe. Thankfully, Nintendo now reports that its console production is starting to get back on track. The company has highlighted the problems it's faced...
News Nintendo Provides Another Update About Its Development Schedule
It may be impacted
Earlier this week, Nintendo released its annual report. We found out about the average age and salaries of the company's employees, and also discovered Nintendo's directors earn a relatively modest wage compared to other industry executives. In addition to this, it's revealed how its production, shipping, product supply, and...
News EVO 2020 Has Been Officially Cancelled
Update: The online event has now also been axed
Update (Fri 3rd Jul, 2020 05:15 BST): EVO 2020's online replacement tournament has now been officially cancelled. The CEO, Joey Cuellar, will no longer be involved with the event after serious allegations of sexual misconduct. Tony Cannon will be replacing him in this role. Below is the full...
News Nintendo Provides An Update On Potential Game Delays Due To COVID-19
We could see delays in the future
The coronavirus pandemic has had a pretty significant impact on Nintendo's ability to produce and distribute Switch systems. The company first admitted that production had been affected way back in January, and after months of supply issues, it was only earlier this week that we first heard about the situation...
Random FIFA Crowd Noises Will Be Used For Some Televised Premier League Matches
Crowded out
Premier League football – or 'soccer', if you'd prefer – is about to make its long-awaited return following the cancellation of matches amid the coronavirus outbreak, but games will be played behind closed doors, which means no crowds and therefore no atmosphere. To ensure these matches – which are being televised – still have...
News Slowly But Surely, Nintendo's North American Repair Centres Are Coming Back To Life
Existing jobs will be at the front of the queue
One of the many consequences of the coronavirus outbreak was that Nintendo decided to close all of its repair centres in North America, which meant that anyone with ongoing hardware issues has had to put up with them for the past few weeks. It also meant that those who had already submitted a repair...
News Niantic Talks About Playing And Developing Pokémon GO From Home
"It's been challenging"
It's been a difficult period for every video game company in recent months to get teams up and running from home. For Niantic, though, it's been even more of a challenge. Not only has it had to make a transition to working from home, but it's also had to rework and update its insanely popular mobile game Pokémon GO so its...
News Fifth Episode Of Pokémon: Twilight Wings Delayed Due To The Coronavirus Outbreak
Will now air in Japan on 5th June
Following on from the drama caused by the fourth episode of Pokémon: Twilight Wings for featuring the original generation Pokémon Dewgong, The Pokémon Company has now announced the fifth episode of the anime short series has been delayed. The official Japanese Pokémon Twitter account revealed how it w
News Square Enix Reportedly Ditching Plans For E3 2020 Replacement Show
New titles will be announced individually
With this year's traditional E3 event being cancelled, publishers are having to come up with new ways to keep fans up to date with new releases this summer. Ubisoft has committed to a new digital showcase called 'Ubisoft Forward', set to air at around the time E3 would have taken place, but others are...
News This Summer's New Pokémon Movie Has Been Delayed
10th July release date scrapped
The Pokémon Company has announced that the release of this summer's movie, Pokémon the Movie: Coco, will be postponed. The film was due to be released in Japanese cinemas on 10th July, but the company has issued a statement to its official website today to inform fans of the delay. As you can probably guess, the...
News Nintendo Reportedly Facing New Switch Production Issues That Could Cause Shortages
"We may see shortages again toward the year-end"
The Nintendo Switch has been particularly tricky to get hold of in various parts of the world over the last few weeks, partly thanks to its popularity and partly thanks to coronavirus-related stock issues. A new report suggests that these stock issues may well continue, with Nintendo said to be...
News Illumination's Mario Movie Still Making Good Progress, Despite Current Lockdowns
Studio has "always worked remotely"
Mario is scheduled to make his silver screen debut in 2022. The last time we heard about this upcoming film was back in January when Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa said production was moving along smoothly. So, how's it been doing since the coronavirus was declared a global pandemic? According to a source...
News Star Wars Episode I: Racer Is No Longer Speeding Onto The Nintendo Switch Today
Because of "ongoing work from home requirements"
Aspyr, the developer behind the re-release of Star Wars Episode I: Racer on the Switch, has announced the release has been delayed. The game was due to arrive on Nintendo's hybrid system today (12th May), but due to "ongoing work from home requirements" this will no longer be happening. Here's the...
"we ask for your understanding"
Update (Sat 9th May, 2020 06:00 BST): Following the news of Ninjala's delay, GungHo Online Entertainment's president and CEO Kazuki Morishita has now released a statement apologising to fans: Ninjala is near completion, but we are significantly limited in how quickly we can work to test and finalize the game when we...
News Tokyo Game Show 2020 Officially Cancelled, Will Be Replaced By An Online Event
Another one bites the dust
It's official, like every other video game convention before it, this year's Tokyo Game Show has been cancelled to help stop the spread of COVID-19. The show, which was scheduled to take place between 24th - 27th September, will now be replaced by an online event. Here's the official statement: Due to the outbreak of...
News Expect Delays If The Effects Of Coronavirus Worsen, Says Nintendo
But production and shipping are recovering
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has unsurprisingly been causing a number of issues for Nintendo over the past few months - in April, the company told its Japanese fans that shipments of Switch consoles would be temporarily put on hold as a result of the virus' effects. The gaming giant noted that the...
News We Speak To The Man Behind The Initiative That's Giving Free Games To UK Health Workers
"The whole thing grew arms and legs in the most amazing way"
The current coronavirus pandemic is causing untold stress and suffering for millions, but in the UK, something is being done to make life a little easier for the brave and committed health staff who are on the frontline of the crisis. NHS workers in the UK are being gifted access to over...
News Employee At Pokémon Dev Game Freak Tests Positive For Coronavirus
A statement has been issued
Pokémon developer Game Freak has announced that an employee working in its Setagaya, Tokyo office has tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19). The studio has issued a statement on the matter on its official website, noting that thanks to social distancing measures and as a result of staff working from home for the...
News Lack Of Switch Stock In Japan Is Driving Up The Value Of Animal Crossing: New Leaf
Second best is better than nothing?
The arrival of Animal Crossing: New Horizons has triggered a surge in demand for the Switch in Japan, but, thanks to the recent coronavirus outbreak, demand has increased to the point where consoles are incredibly hard to come by. With everyone talking about the new entry, interested players in Japan are having...
News Soedesco Postpones Upcoming Physical Switch Releases
Digital releases will go ahead as planned
Games publisher Soedesco has announced that it will postpone the physical edition releases of upcoming titles thanks to disruptions caused by the coronavirus outbreak. In a press release, the studio says that it "is taking all the maximum precautions" to look after its staff as the pandemic continues to...
News Games Done Quick Kicks Off Special 'Corona Relief' Speedrunning Stream
Plenty of Nintendo games featured
Games Done Quick, a fundraising organisation which has been raising lots of money for charity through speedrunning livestreams over the past few years, has kickstarted a brand new stream to help fight against the current coronavirus pandemic. The stream, which you watch via Twitch below, is raising money for Direct...
News Gamescom 2020 Officially Cancelled, Digital Event Now In The Works
"We must stand united"
Following in the footsteps of other major gaming events like E3 2020 and GDC, gamescom 2020 has now been officially cancelled. In a statement issued online, event organisers say that the event will "under no circumstances take place on site" this year as the ongoing coronavirus pandemic remains a serious threat. Instead, a...
News Nintendo Switch Shortages Are Driving Up The Price Of 3DS In Japan
There's still some demand
The coronavirus outbreak has created a lot of chaos since it was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. On the gaming front, it's made certain systems like the original model Nintendo Switch near impossible to buy. In Japan last week, we heard how one local retailer ran an online lottery to simply purchase...
News More Switch Consoles Are On The Way, Promises Nintendo
"We apologize for any inconvenience"
With the world in lockdown at present, the Nintendo Switch has become a hot item as people try to find ways of keeping themselves entertained during this period of isolation. Demand for the system has outstripped supply for the past few weeks, and we've therefore seen crazy lottery systems in Japan and a hike in...
News The Voice Behind Star Fox 64's Most Famous Line Has Died From Coronavirus
RIP, Rick May
The man who provided the voice for Peppy Hare and Andross in Star Fox 64 has passed away at the age of 79 due to the coronavirus, it has been revealed. Rick May – who uttered the immortal "do a barrel roll" line in the classic N64 game – suffered from a stroke in February of this year and was moved to a nursing home in order to...
News ESRB And PEGI Will Continue To Assign Ratings Remotely
"Thanks to a good deal of advance planning"
If you're wondering what's going on with classification boards around the world now that CERO in Japan has been temporarily closed, it's business as usual. An update from IGN reveals the ESRB in America has been working from home in recent weeks. So far, it's had no issues assigning ratings...
News Hamster's Arcade Archives Release Record Might Be Disrupted By CERO Ratings Suspension
160 weeks and counting
Earlier this week, the Japanese video game rating organisation CERO (Computer Entertainment Rating Agency) announced a temporary closure, which at the time was expected to have a significant impact on the release schedules of many upcoming games – including Nintendo ones. It seems the first company that could be affected by...
News Switch Stock Shortage Is Pushing Buyers Towards PS4 and Xbox One, Claims Retailer
Sales jumped 150% in March
The Nintendo Switch is in high demand right now, but stock is hard to come by – and that's causing buyers to turn to other options. Covering the recent announcement by Nintendo that Switch stock would be limited to those who had placed reservations in Japan this week, Gamesindustry.biz expanded on the situation, stating...
Talking Point We Should Brace For A Huge Games Industry Knock-On Effect Following The CERO Shutdown
Down to CERO
Today's news that Japanese video game rating organisation CERO--that's the 'Computer Entertainment Rating Organization'--is closing temporarily in response the COVID-19 pandemic will likely have far longer lasting repercussions on the video games industry than recent cancellation of annual events such as E3 and GDC. Japan's response to...
News Pokémon Staff Will 'Stay Connected' During Tokyo's Emergency Lockdown, Says Masuda
Encourages fans to stay home
Today, the Japanese government issued a state of emergency across its Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, Saitama, Osaka, Hyogo and Fukuoka prefectures, urging people to practice social distancing to fight the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Junichi Masuda, director of Pokémon developer Game Freak, has now commented on the situation...
News Wave of Closures And Possible Development Delays Follow CERO Shutdown In Japan
The safety and health of the gaming community is the highest priority
Following the issuance of a state of emergency in seven of Japan's prefectures due to the Coronavirus outbreak – including the game development hubs of Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka – many video game developers and affiliates have announced temporary closures. As we mentioned in...
News New Games Could See Delays As Japanese Rating Organisation CERO Temporarily Shuts Down
State of emergency declared in Tokyo
Japanese video game rating organisation CERO (Computer Entertainment Rating Agency) has today announced a temporary closure, potentially having a significant impact on the release schedules of upcoming games. The closure has been revealed in response to the Japanese government's decision to issue a state of...
News Nintendo Switch Stock Concerns Grow As Shipping Gets Temporarily Halted In Japan
Only pre-existing reservations will be fulfilled
Nintendo has issued a notice to fans in Japan this morning regarding the current status of Switch console shipments, revealing that shipping will be temporarily put on hold. The message, which was shared on Nintendo's official Japanese Twitter account, says that both the Switch Lite and standard...
News Sakurai To Work On Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Remotely Due To Coronavirus
Japan poised to declare state of emergency
With Japan set to announce a state of emergency for seven prefectures – including the gaming hubs of Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka – Masahiro Sakurai has announced via Twitter that he will be picking up the development of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate remotely. He goes onto say that security su
News Coronavirus Isolation Seems To Be Causing A Spike In Wii Sports' Resale Value
Prices have been rising since Feb
This November, Wii Sports will turn 14 years old, but the game is seeing a sudden spike in interest and resale value. The game, which had people all around the world swinging their arms about to play tennis, golf and more in their front rooms back in 2006, has been rising in price on resale websites since February...
News "They're Burying Pokémons" Jibe During Chinese Coronavirus Tribute Causes Uproar In France
"I allowed myself to say something totally inappropriate"
French journalist Emmanuel Lechypre has apologised after making a jibe about "Burying Pokémons" during BFM TV's coverage of China's day of mourning for coronavirus victims. The business reporter made the comment on Saturday as the channel was broadcasting live footage of a three-minute...
News Nintendo Comments On Switch Stock Issues, Delay Situation "Has Not Changed"
It's not looking great
With the impact of the coronavirus having ever-increasing effects on the production and distribution of gaming hardware, getting your hands on a Nintendo Switch is now proving to be quite the challenge in some areas of the world. Major retailers across the UK and US are struggling to keep up with the demand at present, and...
