Xbox Series X is the first video game console born in a pandemic

Microsoft's Xbox Series X (in black) and Series S (in white) gaming consoles during its worldwide release at an electronics store in Tokyo on Nov 10. — Charly Triballeau/AFP

The debut of a video game console is a carefully choreographed event. It matches state-of-the-art electronics with complex software and big-budget games. It takes years of development and billions of dollars in collective investments, all building to a single deadline. The Xbox Series X was the fourth go-around for Microsoft Corp, and the company had a plan to improve upon the lackluster performance of its last console.

Then on Jan 20, the first confirmed US case of the coronavirus was reported in a suburb of Seattle. Over the next six weeks, the area surrounding Microsoft’s headquarters became the country’s first hotspot. After the virus claimed some of the first lives in a nearby nursing home, Microsoft closed its doors to most employees on March 4. "Everyone has a plan until a global pandemic punches you in the face,” said Jerret West, the marketing chief for Microsoft’s Xbox.