Sony has confirmed in a statement that it won't be attending E3 2020, marking the second year in a row that the massive electronics company – and owner of the PlayStation brand – has snubbed the annual gaming event.
The statement, sent to GamesIndustry.biz, says that Sony "[doesn't] 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 ... 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."
The statement from Sony follows a prediction from notable industry analyst Michael Pachter who, in an interview with VGC, rightfully suggested Sony don't intend to have a presence at E3 this year, despite the incoming launch of the PS5 at the end of year.
“As far as I know, they don’t plan to attend,” says Pachter. “I think that’s a huge mistake, as their ‘focus on the consumer’ is not inconsistent with their attendance at the premier industry trade show. I hope they change their minds, but am sceptical.[sic]”
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Sony, come back!
While Sony's absence from E3 2019 was a bit of a blow to the convention – and fans wishing to see all three big console makers on show – many of us reassured ourselves with the notion that Sony simply must be saving a blowout appearance for the following year, to tie in with its release of the PS5.
We'd expect to have seen the console's design officially unveiled by then, with a wider lineup of PS5 games confirmed for the hardware.
It's going to be a big year for Sony regardless, what with the next-gen PS5 console coming at the end of 2020, and its indifference to the gaming expo does make a certain amount of sense in a world where Sony can release and stream its own announcements (via its State of Play video series) to PlayStation fans and players worldwide.
But E3 still holds a dear place in many gamers' hearts, and Sony's continued absence – as one of the major players in the console market – doesn't bold well for the future of the convention.
We would love to see E3 throw some shade back – say, with an empty booth designated for the company, covered in cobwebs and PlayStation memorabilia – but it's more likely that the conversation will simply focus on Microsoft and Nintendo, which would hurt Sony's dominance in the long run.
