Sony is reportedly skipping E3 this 2019, and despite shocked reactions from numerous fans, its reason actually makes a lot of sense.
The company had already stated in 2018 that it would be skipping E3 2019, breaking its 24-year of attendance at the annual tradeshow and biggest gaming event of the year. The news shocked both the company’s fans and critics, as Sony has been using E3 as its main mode of advertisement for the past two decades. In 2015, Sony announced the release of three huge titles, The Last Guardian, the Final Fantasy VII remake, and Shenmue III, effectively turning the spotlight onto their newest console, the then-2-year-old PlayStation 4.
This time, Sony is skipping all the media attention. In an interview with CNET last year, Chairman of Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios Shawn Layden said that the company is focusing on “fewer but better” games this year. The company is also reportedly preparing for the release of the next iteration of their PlayStation consoles, the PlayStation 5.
Here is the company’s official statement on the matter: “As the industry evolves, Sony Interactive Entertainment continues to look for inventive opportunities to engage the community. PlayStation fans mean the world to us and we always want to innovate, think differently and experiment with new ways to delight gamers. As a result, we have decided not to participate in E3 in 2019. We are exploring new and familiar ways to engage our community in 2019 and can’t wait to share our plans with you.”
