Sony, for the past 24 years, have appeared at the annual E3 gaming event. However, according to a report by Game Informer, Sony are looking for new, “inventive opportunities to engage the community” as they will not be making an appearance at E3 in 2019. The company want to “innovate, think differently and experiment with new ways to delight gamers.”
The company also have their own event in December called PlayStation Experience. However, this was also cancelled as chairman Shawn Layden claimed that there was not enough for Sony to show fans this year.
With many anxious to find out when the Last of Us sequel will be arriving, what new games Sony have in store for us and when the new console will be available, the two cancellations come as a disappointment.
However, Sony are not the first company to withdraw from E3. Both Microsoft and Electronic Arts have done the same in favour of their own events. Could this shift in the way big companies are interacting with consumers mark the death of E3? It’s entirely debatable.
Chairman Shawn Layden claimed that there was not enough for Sony to show fans this year.
Whilst news can be shared through social media, livestreams, and specially tailored events, E3 places a spotlight on the gaming industry for an isolated amount of time each year. This spotlight allows for companies to gain more publicity and for easier marketing as a result.
Is it a mistake for them to pull away from E3 or is it simply a shift in the way that consumers are interacted with? Could we see a transformation into a more digital setting or a push for individual events? In the coming couple of years, it’s likely we’ll get a clearer answer to both of these questions.