Sony and PlayStation will not attend E3 2020, the company has confirmed to GamesIndustry. The annual convention, which will take place this summer, has been the biggest event in gaming for decades -- but there's no question that its influence has waned over recent years. Indeed, you may recall that Sony skipped the show in 2019 as well, while other heavy hitters, such as Nintendo and EA, have slowly but surely distanced themselves from the event.
With the PlayStation 5 set to launch in late 2020, many believed that Sony would use E3 as an opportunity to spread the word. But as it happens, the Japanese giant just doesn't seem to think that E3 is worth its time.
A direct quote from Sony says it all: "We have great respect for the ESA [the organisation behind E3] as an organisation, but we do not feel the vision of E3 2020 is the right venue for what we are focused on this year. We will build upon our global events strategy in 2020 by participating in hundreds of consumer events across the globe. Our focus is on making sure fans feel part of the PlayStation family and have access to play their favourite content. We have a fantastic line up of titles coming to PlayStation 4, and with the upcoming launch of PlayStation 5, we are truly looking forward to a year of celebration with our fans."
Sony's still got its lips sealed shut when it comes to planning the PS5's big reveal, then, but it sounds like the firm knows what it's doing. Now that we're sure PlayStation won't be at E3, anything could happen.
[source gamesindustry.biz]
Comments 59
You gotta feel bad for the E3 organisers at this point. It was great and important for so long but the industry’s moved on.
Man E3 was like Christmas in Summer. I'm sure it'll continue in some way but it'll be a shell of its former self. Much more efficient ways to get info out there nowadays so hardly a shock, but I will miss the show as it was.
@nessisonett Nah, they were charging huge prices, correct?
I completely understand Sony not attending.
Yeah, I had a feeling they were going to skip E3. They'll probably have their own conference.
@OmegaStriver Yes, apparently the fee is astronomical. Agreed that makes total sense to skip it if Sony don't feel they need it any more
After what happened last year, no one should be supporting the ESA.
The nails are being hammered into E3 now. It'll just never be what it once was ever again, unfortunately.
Time to get used to that.
Well I guess E3 is going to be trash this year like last year.
It's not as important as it once was, but the event still commands a lot of attention from the gaming community and gaming media. It makes sense that Sony wouldn't waste time maintaining a physical presence there, but you think they'd give us a SoP to watch during the event or something. I can't imagine they won't have unveiled the system by that point.
Turns out that update to the previous article wasn't needed, then.
Yeah, I'm not shocked by this either. E3 has been getting worse and worse each year, it was inevitable that Sony's absence last year wasn't just a case of there being too little to show.
I understand the decision from a business perspective. It makes perfect to skip E3. However, as someone who looks forward to E3 like a second Christmas, it's a damn shame to see them skip out again. Last year felt really off without a Sony conference.
Every game from 3rd party Publisher will have a PS4 logo on it anyway like last year. SONY does not need to be there.
This is very much the end of an era. Feels weird, man.
That's a shame, I've always enjoyed the stuff they do there.
It is what it is, E3 been going down hill for a while now.
It’s not that big of a deal. There is still Microsoft, Nintendo, and Square Enix.
RIP E3 can't even get Sony on a console year
Nice.
A shame about all those who's gonna win, who won E3, etc etc very interesting articles 😛
Chances are they will do a state of play around that time just like
Nintendo does their directs during e3.
Japan of Sony loves money. Thats what they are. Their claws are after our cash. I don t care since I have a life of my own to worry about. They don't care about us but money. That's fine.. No hurry for me. Nature will entertain me even more than Sony for now.
E3 had its importance long ago but the way the internet is now,is it any real loss if it is gone? Will the ps5 get any less hype without it? Will big news outlets on tv or other sources not mention it without e3? Ofcourse they still will.
What benefit to Sony is an e3, and what benefit to those around the world is it if they were there? I don't see any benefit to e3 at all anymore.
What drugs is this writer on? "Its influence has waned"?
Not at all!
You're all talking about it aren't you?
I vividly recall a LOT of talk about Nintendo stepping down being a step backwards. Now it conveniently isn't? 🤣
You will ALL be watching the show with or without Sony.
It's about the games and developers, not the machines...
If anything has waned it's people's taste for upgrades and constant expense.
We want the games. We don't want to have to keep spending a ransom just to be able to play them.
Shocking. I mean the rumors were going around but I didnt believe them. E3 is truly dead. I guess I'll stream whatever events Sony is going to do. Wont be quite the "take a day off work to watch all the pressers" kind of event though.
E3 is a trade show that was falling. They started letting the public attend to boost ticket numbers. With less focus on trade it is not as important or worth its premium price for floor space. A lot of people did not agree with the Decision to let the public attend. PlayStation can connect with fans In a much better way, for a lot less.
@nessisonett Exactly. If they want to survive or be as relevant as they were prior 2014, they have to close the doors to the public.
@Real_Obsi I told you yesterday, lay off the drugs champ.
Comdex was a trade show for computers that was really big but it died also.
Well Sony has had weaker shows the past few years. Not a big loss at all. Would rather see a State of Play announce the new console.
That’s just how it I guess. State of Play, Nintendo Directs are just the way to go. I’ll still look forward to E3, not as exciting as it used to be.
The Internet is so wildly popular and infinite now that these shows aren’t as big as they used to be.
PAX will become the new and better community oriented E3. Which will be great.
This is the end, beautiful friend.
This is the end, my only friend, the end.
it's obvious since 2019 E3 each company thinks it self bigger than the other EA for example. cannot blame SONY with such revenue from PS4 and the top class owned studios it can go big enough alone with it's trademark. the industry of gaming is getting bigger with large scale of investment and competition.
at this point it’s becoming clear that they’re just trying to escape the horror show that is E3
E3 is overrated. They became greedy, so it's no surprise Sony found smarter, better ways to do business.
It will be really cool if sony just suddenly drop ps5 info on twitter and youtube on a random day in february lol.
E3 is definitely soon to be nothing more than a historical expo that once was the bastion of the cutting edge video gaming reveals.
It's time is coming to an end I fear.
However, in regards to this news, I can't say I'm surprised. Although this does lead me to wonder when exactly they are going to announce the PS5, it really could be any time at all.
They may be waiting to see what Xbox unveil to see if they can 1up them by making some last minute adjustments. This next gen reveal is big business and can make or break the entire generation of gamers. They need to make sure they get it right, the first time.
Just look how the "Always online" Xbox announcement hurt their brand, and ultimately served them a whole generation of damage off the back of that.
@BarefootBowser The PS4 was the most talked about console last year, and they didn't even attend E3. So I'm sure they figured they can do better by having their own show or something like that.
From a personal standpoint, I will miss the conference and the reveals and the excitement. I will also not miss needing to stay up to 2am to watch 20 game trailers that could quite easily have been spread out throughout the year.
Sony doesn't need E3. Nobody shut up about Sony last year and they weren't even there. It makes to do their own show at their own time with no other distractions to potentially steal their thunder.
@Real_Obsi Im from Europe and the godawfull times did not help. I just watch Pushsquare or whatever site too keep me in the loop.
@azoreseuropa What are you on?
@BarefootBowser It's not arrogance. They will reveal everything in their own time which gives them much more control and breathing room. Look at Nintendo and the Switch. That wasn't revealed at E3, but they chose a separate time later to reveal it, and it worked. Even though many said, myself included, that it was a stupid decision to not show it at E3. The importance of E3 is highly overstated.
I think they will reveal it sometime before E3; alongside new games of course. That will allow developers to publicly announce PS5 games at E3. But it would be silly for Sony to attend E3 if they already have shown everything during a launch reveal, that would be redundant and people will complain it's the same games again.
You've got to assume that Sony will have an event before E3, reveal the PS5 fully and the launch line up. Then at E3 the third parties will show off their next gen games. PS5 will be talked about and Sony don't need to be there with a big conference. Makes sense to me.
I mean, maybe JUST maybe, they don't want their private details leaked by the ESA.
not surprising after all E3 is basically "the xbox show" now, they are the only ones who get the good time slot and all the headlines
besides who wants to go to a "infuencer event" anyway
besides in this day and age of companies being able to engage with the consumer daily, a show like E3 isn't needed
@Real_Obsi
1. We didn't watch last year either. Your point is invalid.
2. Ninty did it years ago. Things were a bit different then, plus they weren't doing that well (WiiU was an embarrassment). There was quite some backlash for Sony last year as well. Now most people are just used to the idea.
Sony are arrogant and have been for a while now. I am happy that Microsoft will have big platform to show off at E3. Its strange for Sony to not want to promote the big new product in any way at the biggest game show of the year.
E3 has lost its appeal and has now become a money grab but I used to look forward to it when Tech Tv (later G4 tv) was on the air and broadcast from the show. I miss those days.
I am a bit surprised but E3 has always been in favour of whatever Microsoft does each year anyway so maybe a SONY own Show would be better. Shame still no date for any PS5 stuff??? Hmm, it should be soon, yeah???
@redd214 Yea I agree. It's like taking Christmas morning away. I hate the way Sony is doing things now. I wouldnt be surprised if they announced the PS5 at one of those lame State of Plays or Wired interview at this point 🙄
@Ken_Kaniff yeah but the way their doing it now makes total sense for the world we live in. Can't fault them for it honestly even though I still love watching conferences
I'd imagine E3 in the past has probably cost Sony a lot of money. Although I loved the announcement buzz. I did read in another Push Square article that E3 are leaning towards the YouTube influence etc and I guess Sony don't see themselves as needing to advertise the PS5 and it's games in that environment as even without E3 the video game influences of the Internet talk about it anyway.
@redd214 I get it from a financial stand point, but this past year is the first in a long time that I've felt little to no hype because of their lack of conferences.
@Ken_Kaniff I understand where you're coming from. Looking back E3 was really the only big event the skipped. TGS, Gamescom, Pax, Paris games week etc. Personally I'm hyped for the imminent ps5 details, hopefully they do something that excites you as well!
i would not be surprised if sony consoles end up on the "showfloor" with playable games. after all, they don't "attend" the eurogamer expo etc. but you can still play games on playstation there, and i'm sure there'll be PS5s at eurogamer. i think that's the destination E3 is headed.. a consumer-driven "hands-on" game show, where the industry's big names don't feel the need to withhold game reveals/announcements for one day of the year. when as soon as the next conference starts splurging all its details, your news falls off the first page of websites.
A few comments here are acting like Sony isn't going to have it's own conference at some point in the year and for that they need E3 smh.
I liked the idea of E3 gathering the industry round a single weekend. Sony can pull off whatever they want, but they skipping e3 just stinks.
I have no doubt if E3 remained a trade show only Sony would have attended. In the future I would like PlayStation have a bigger presence at CES they remain a true trade show. Who know them being at CES this year may lead to something much larger.
RIP E3...it was fun! I loved that time of year...
But now when you think about it it makes sense companies are moving on from E3...why 'shade' your game reveals with another console game reveals? Why not just do it independently at another time?
Still...I'm sad
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