Why Sony is right to skip E3 (again)
E3 has always been held as a momentous annual occasion in the hearts of gamers, and a big opportunity to get those bank accounts lined for the companies behind it.
Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo would all bring huge stage shows to announce their latest slew of games (or their newest console at the times of generational change) to huge ovations and millions of views.
...But then, something changed… Suddenly, everybody started predicting the downfall of this once great gaming festival and in 2019, probably one of the biggest proponents of it - Sony - announced they were not going to be attending.
It was a blow to the schedule, which Microsoft just about managed to fill with a show full of pyrotechnics and a surprise appearance from Keanu Reeves (he’s breathtaking, haven’t you heard).
And while many people started saying “well surely they will be back for 2020!” “They have a PS5 to announce.” Turns out they’re doing it on their own terms, as Sony have pulled out for the second year running.
"We will build upon our global events strategy in 2020 by participating in hundreds of consumer events across the globe,” A Sony Interactive Entertainment spokesperson told gamesindustry.biz. “Our focus is on making sure fans feel part of the PlayStation family and have access to play their favorite 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."
CNET recently wrote about why this would be a mistake, citing that they miss one of the biggest opportunities to speak directly to gamers. But I’ve got to say, I disagree. This is a beneficial choice for them, and here’s why...
As I predicted in my blog after E3 2019 (probably the only prediction I got right), a presentation deck from the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) leaked showing their intended pivot to becoming a "fan, media and influencer festival" full of brand activations and opportunities for punters to play games before they buy.
E3 has basically become another Insomnia game show - not to say that’s a bad thing! It becomes a celebration of gaming, rather than some juggernaut Wrestlemania-esque opportunity to reset the gaming news cycle for journalists.
You can even see that in ESA’s own rather tepid response to Sony’s cancellation: “E3 is a signature event celebrating the video game industry and showcasing the people, brands and innovations redefining entertainment loved by billions of people around the world. E3 2020 will be an exciting, high-energy show featuring new experiences, partners, exhibitor spaces, activations, and programming that will entertain new and veteran attendees alike. Exhibitor interest in our new activations is gaining the attention of brands that view E3 as a key opportunity to connect with video game fans worldwide.”
There are many better ways to do that, either in a cost-effective manner like a State of Play video or they can control the scope of the event themselves and dominate the media coverage rather than share the spotlight with other companies and potentially get lost in it all.
You can make E3 “the Microsoft show” all you want, but Sony will set their own rules of battle.
I say this all, knowing one thing in my heart - I bloody miss their E3 shows. Epic in scale with some truly memorable moments - the orchestral score in 2016 leading to the God of War unveil, The Last Guardian coming back from the dead in 2015, Sony’s defiantly gamer-centric response to the Xbox One unveiling with an anti-always online console and a cheaper price tag for the PS4.
If there is one thing I hope for, it’s that Sony reaches this level with their own event soon. Give me something to crack a few beers and get hyped over.
