Is a dedicated PlayStation event really happening before the year is out? If you’re a devout follower of industry “insiders”, then you’ll probably answer that question with a resounding ‘yes’. But the reality is that Sony has become incredibly difficult to predict, especially when it comes to its consumer-facing actions.
The Japanese giant does, of course, have a history of setting out its stall through heavily promoted showcases. In years past, it relied on events like the ‘PlayStation Experience’ as a way to unveil new hardware and upcoming games. These big shows would exist in addition to the platform holder’s annual E3 press conferences. This simply isn’t how Sony does things in the PS5 generation, although it’s worth reminding ourselves that it did host a PlayStation Showcase just last year (on the 9th September, 2021).
Instead, the company seems far happier to drip-feed information to fans through its State of Play presentations — shorter, snappier digital events that still pull impressive viewing numbers, but don’t have the pomp of a “proper” showcase. That’s not to say a State of Play can’t have megaton announcements — the last two broadcasts in particular have had plenty of AAA surprises — but if, like us, you once felt the hype of an impending E3 presser, you’ll know what we’re getting at.
But back to the topic at hand: will there be some kind of PlayStation event in 2022? We’re nearing the end of September at the time of writing this article, and those aforementioned “insiders” have spent months telling us that a showcase is just around the corner. As you’d expect, the rumourmongering is starting to reach new heights now that we’re hurtling towards 2023, but Sony maintains its silence on the matter.
It’s worth pointing out that none of the usual social media suspects saw the most recent State of Plays coming. Sony has a good handle on its secrecy these days — at least when it comes to its event schedule — and so you can never truly count out the sudden announcement of a showcase.
And, to be fair, there are a few things that might suggest Sony has a show up its sleeve. For starters, you would bet on God of War Ragnarok getting a gameplay deep dive before it launches on the 9th November. We also need a release date (and a price!) for PSVR2. And on top of that, we’ve got Final Fantasy XVI’s producer saying that a new trailer is dropping within the next month or so. Hmmm.
But look, it’s easy to line things up in order to suit your speculation. It’s entirely possible (and perhaps more probable) that Ragnarok will get its own State of Play. The same could happen for PSVR2. That Final Fantasy XVI trailer could pop up in the middle of the night with no warning whatsoever. Who knows.
Anyway, we’ve rambled on long enough. We want to know what you think. Do you believe Sony will surprise us with some kind of showcase before 2022 comes to an end? Vote in our polls, and then explain yourself in the comments section below.
