Sony to Skip E3 for a Second Year
Sony Interactive Entertainment has confirmed that it will not attend the Electronic Entertainment Expo (e3 2020), but it will participating "in hundreds of consumer events across the globe."
"After thorough evaluation, SIE has decided not to participate in E3 2020. We have great respect for the ESA as an organization, 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 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," SIE said.
This news follows a CES appearance last week in which Sony reiterated previously announced information about the upcoming PS5 console, including its "holiday 2020" launch window and a vague description of its technical prowess. However, Jim Ryan, president and CEO of SIE, has hinted that there are still important elements related to the PS5 that have not yet been announced.
PlayStation first skipped the event in 2019, raising questions about E3′s viability, and its utility to the video game industry. Other developers and publishers, such as Nintendo and Electronic Arts, have foregone the event in the past, opting instead to host livestreams and events of their own, or seeking programming opportunities outside of E3.