sony e3 2019

So, Sony isn't going to be at E3 2019. No press conference, no presence at the show. It's surprising news that's rocked the gaming world, but as our own Sammy Barker has said, it's a move that's impossible to judge right now. There's little doubt that Sony is currently very busy behind the scenes prepping the PS5, but what does all of this mean for E3?

The Electronic Entertainment Expo has hosted Sony and PlayStation for a staggering 24 years up until this point, but that impressive run will obviously come to an end next year. With no PlayStation presence at the event, you can guarantee a big showing from director competitor Microsoft, but is E3 really as important as hardcore internet circles make it out to be? That's the question that we're going to be asking you today.

There's no denying that E3 has been gaming's biggest stage for some time, but in an age where information is instant and every publisher has the ability to showcase their products however and whenever they like, it's not difficult to argue that E3 is an old fashioned concept. Is E3 becoming less and less relevant, especially now that Sony has dropped it?

Of course, Sony isn't the first company to have changed its approach to E3. Years ago now, Nintendo decided to no longer host traditional E3 press conferences, and so the Nintendo Direct was born -- pre-recorded streams that are designed to give fans a look at future games whenever the Big N feels like it. It's an effective way to communicate with fans -- there's no middle man, and there's no need to compete with other publishers.

Sony could be thinking along those same lines, or perhaps it just doesn't think that it has the content to pull off a satisfying E3 show. And let's not forget the company's borderline disastrous E3 conference earlier this year -- maybe it's come to the conclusion that E3 just isn't worth the effort.

But let's be real: Sony doesn't need E3 -- E3 needs Sony. There's no official rule that demands publishers attend E3 -- at this point it's just a tradition, and an opportunity to get your message across to a sizable audience. So again, we ask: is E3 still relevant? Let us know what you think in our polls, and then give us an honest opinion in the comments section below.

Is E3 still relevant? (215 votes)

  1. Of course, it's still gaming's biggest stage22%
  2. Yes, it's still an important part of the industry20%
  3. Yeah, but it's becoming less relevant over time25%
  4. Kind of, but Sony's departure is the beginning of the end for E3 as we know it21%
  5. Nope, Sony's departure has killed E35%
  6. Nah, E3 hasn't been relevant for a while7%
  7. No, E3 is totally irrelevant  0%

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Are you disappointed that Sony won't be attending E3 2019? (206 votes)

  1. Yes, E3 is basically pointless without Sony18%
  2. Yeah, E3 just isn't the same without Sony37%
  3. Yep, but I'm still looking forward to E326%
  4. Nah, I don't really care if Sony's there or not13%
  5. Nope, I think E3 will be better without Sony1%
  6. No, I don't care about E3 either way4%

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Now that Sony won't be at E3, what do you most want to see from the company in 2019? (198 votes)

  1. I'd like to see Sony host its own E3-style event26%
  2. I hope Sony hosts its own smaller events throughout the year24%
  3. I would like to see Sony try the Nintendo Direct approach25%
  4. A huge PS5 reveal event, and nothing more20%
  5. Nothing, I want Sony to go silent and keep us all guessing6%

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Do you think we'll ever see Sony at E3 again? (200 votes)

  1. Yes, I'm sure Sony will be back in 202032%
  2. Yeah, I think we'll see Sony return to E3 at some point35%
  3. I'm honestly not sure23%
  4. Nope, I think Sony's done with E39%
  5. No, I think this is the death of E3 as we know it3%

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