Go on, admit it: which one of you poked Sony with a big, pointy stick? The platform holder has been snoozing since the turn of the year, and we were beginning to believe that coronavirus was to blame. Sure, we got release dates for MLB The Show 21 and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, but like Icelandic warbler Björk once wailed: it’s oh so quiet. Or at least it was until boss Jim Ryan opened his big Geordie gob, anyway.

The announcement of a next-generation virtual reality headset seems to have dragged PlayStation out of bed, and it’s not even bothered to shower and take a leak. A new State of Play is upon us – a proper one, not one of those extended gameplay trailers that’s had our Liam scratching his head – and it’ll focus on 10 upcoming PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 games. It’ll last 30 minutes, so not a feature-length livestream, then – but enough for some key updates.

State of Play Predictions Horizon Forbidden West

As always, it’s massively important to temper expectations. There are quite a few high-profile first-party games due out in the next few months, so don’t start thinking the Japanese giant is loading up on nuclear bombs. No, we’ve barely seen Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart and Returnal since their announcement, and so we expect this showcase to kickstart their respective marketing campaigns; both releases will surely feature heavily.

Horizon Forbidden West – looking good for a release later this year, according to Ryan – also feels like it could benefit from an update: perhaps not a blowout, but a trailer to whet the appetite for what’s to come before Christmas. Outside of that, we’re anticipating continued promotion of upcoming titles like Resident Evil Village and Deathloop – they’re both in the eye of the manufacturer’s 2021 marketing storm, after all.

Beyond these six titles, though, the debate is open. Sony’s said there will be indie games, and given how high-profile it’s become, we imagine Kena: Bridge of Spirits may get dated – especially if it’s still due out around March. Then there’s Stray, the sci-fi kitten-‘em-up that captured the hearts of animal lovers around the globe – we still don’t know much about that. What about the next project from Inside developer Playdead? It’s being published by Epic Games, and the timing feels right.

State of Play Predictions Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart

In terms of new announcements, we’re certainly not anticipating anything wild, but The Last of Us: Part II’s multiplayer mode can’t be a million miles away, can it? Naughty Dog hinted that it was blowing this project out into its own full-scale game, and if it’s due out this year, it might be time for the developer to talk about that – especially if it wants to begin launching beta tests and the like. Stranger things have happened, readers.

All in all, we’re expecting a solid but grounded stream. Anticipate megatons at your peril – this probably won’t be the place for that. Updates on key upcoming titles, though? Sounds like there’ll be more than enough to satiate us on that front, and as long as we get to see more of Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart and Returnal, we’ll be coming away happy. Anything else is just a bonus.

What are you expecting to see from this week’s State of Play? Is there anything in particular you’re hankering for? Do you think the broadcast will live up to expectations? Plan out Sony’s latest stream in the comments section below.