Sony has announced that it will not participate in E3 2020. Thus, the PlayStation company is skipping the important gaming fair for the second year in a row, even though the PS5 is coming this year. We look at the statements from Sony, competitor Microsoft (Xbox One), and organizer ESA.
After announcing in 2019 that they would not attend E3, Sony will also skip E3 in 2020. The announcement has immediately prompted further statements.
This is what Sony says: They tell the site GamesIndustry that they feel the vision of the event does not match what they have planned for themselves. Instead of one E3, they want to visit “hundreds” of events to showcase games for PS4 and PS5.
After careful consideration, SIE has decided not to participate in E3 2020. We have great respect for ESA as an organization, but we do not feel that the vision of E3 2020 is the right stage for what we want to present this year.
We will build our global event strategy for 2020 by attending hundreds of events around the globe. The focus is on making our fans feel like part of the PlayStation family and having access to their favorite content. We have a fantastic line-up of titles coming to PlayStation 4, and with the upcoming launch of PlayStation 5, we look forward to a year of celebrating with our fans.
A spokesperson for Sony Interactive Entertainment
ESA calls E3 2020 a “Signature Event”
This is how ESA reacts: The organizers of E3, ESA (Entertainment Software Association), quickly published a statement on their website. It says:
“E3 is the showcase event to celebrate the video game industry and to showcase brands and innovations that redefine entertainment loved by billions of people around the world. E3 2020 will be an exciting high-energy show featuring new experiences, partners, exhibition spaces, activities, and a program that entertains newcomers and veterans alike.
Exhibitors interested in our activities will have the opportunity to get the attention of those brands that see E3 as a key opportunity to connect with video game fans worldwide.”
ESA’s statement regarding Sony’s announcement for E3 2020
XBOX boss says immediately: We are looking forward to E3
This is how Xbox reacts: The head of gaming at Microsoft, Phil Spencer, briefly confirmed in a tweet that they are looking forward to E3 and will be attending the event. 2020 is a milestone year for Team Xbox.
During E3 2019, Phil Spencer wished that Sony would be at E3.
Another setback for E3
What’s behind it: It is a blow for E3 2020, but they appear confident and clearly signal that they believe in what they have to offer.
From Sony’s perspective, it is likely a tactical consideration. They believe that E3 needs Sony more to remain relevant than Sony needs E3 to generate additional attention.
The last E3 2019 without Sony was considered, in retrospect, the weakest E3 in a long time. Additionally, a data scandal caused further negative headlines: the addresses of journalists were leaked.
Sony may be right with its strategy. Even without Sony, PlayStation 5 was a huge topic at E3 2019 – so it will probably be in 2020 as well.
Wherever the PlayStation 5 and the new games for it are showcased, Sony apparently believes that there will be enough interest – even without the environment of an E3.
Additionally, according to industry insider Jason Schreier, there is a bad atmosphere between ESA and Sony. There are tensions. According to GamesIndustry, Sony supposedly prefers E3 as a “spectator fair,” while others want to maintain the character of an “industry fair.”
The last E3 2019 without Sony was considered, in retrospect, the weakest E3 in a long time. Additionally, a data scandal caused further negative headlines: the addresses of journalists were leaked.
Sony may be right with its strategy. Even without Sony, PlayStation 5 was a huge topic at E3 2019 – so it will probably be in 2020 as well.
