Phil Spencer says the impact of COVID-19 will be felt in early 2021

Phil Spencer says the impact of COVID-19 will be felt in early 2021

Phil Spencer, boss of Microsft’s Xbox division, has no doubt that the impact of COVID-19 on the video game industry will be felt in early 2021, through the postponement of video games, as a result of the impact on other processes.

One of the examples that Spencer gives, to show how the pandemic will affect launches whose development has not yet reached the most advanced stages, is that of motion capture. An essential process in several games and that, like others, is completely stopped.

According to Spencer, games scheduled for summer or autumn 2020 will have no problem reaching stores, but games scheduled for early 2021 will feel the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Spencer explains that many games, which have not even been revealed yet, cannot continue with their normal development, even in remote work, as the capture of movements or voice requires several people in the same room, open offices and companies operating within the normal, something that is not yet possible in most parts of the world.

“Motion capture is something that basically stopped. We don’t go to motion capture studios,” said Spencer.

“If you already have all your animation captured and are putting a little bit of touches on artistic production or in areas like textures and things like that, you are in a better position. If you are expecting great audio works, when it involves symphonies and other things, or captures , you are conditioned and making progress in other areas. “

Regarding the Xbox Series X, Spencer does not foresee any problem, even without traveling to China and following the work, but he is confident in the team and in the progress that is being made.

However, he admits that some games may undergo adjustments, even small ones.