As we expected, there’ll be no PlayStation Experience this year as Sony prepares itself for a mammoth 2019. Speaking on the latest episode of the PlayStation Blogcast podcast, bigwig Shawn Layden said that the company’s looking forward to 2019 with games like Dreams and Days Gone, but it “doesn’t have enough to bring people together in North America to have that event”.
Perhaps recognising some of the negative feedback from last year’s event, he concluded: “We don't want to set expectations really high and then not deliver on it.” Of course it doesn’t necessarily mean we won’t end the year with big PlayStation news: there are still The Game Awards, for example, if it wants to put out some new trailers and announce some release dates.
At this point, we feel like Sony is in full PlayStation 5 mode. There are some huge games on the horizon like The Last of Us: Part II and Ghost of Tsushima, but it’s becoming clear that the company’s holding back until it’s ready to talk about its new console. And to be honest, that’s fine by us – we’ll be here when it’s ready to show us what it’s been working on.
[source blog.us.playstation.com]
Comments 56
Imagine my shock.
Bring it on, I want a shiny new box under my telly!
I'm not sure it means PS5 at all. Shawn Layden's wording made it sound like that TLOU2, Ghost of Tshushima and Death Stranding won't possibly arrive in 2019 and there's no way Sony will launch those after PS5 comes out cos why release three big flagship games when your trying to sell a new console? And no enhanced BC features will be enough to sell PS5 alone, only it's own exclusives will do that In other words expect a quieter 2019.
Could games such as TLOU2, Tshushima and Death Stranding actually come out after PS5 release but as it will hopefully be backwards compatible, be playable on PS5 anyway?
I'm in the minority on this website but I think going all the back to E3 2017 up to this year's E3 all the press conferences have been meh to terrible for Sony, and that includes last year's PSX. So in that sense if you have nothing big to show this year, don't do it, nobody wants a repeat of what we've had recently. Also very likely that PS5 is closer than many think (I believe a Nov. 2019 launch is very possible) and for the remainder of this gen Sony is in a good enough place. Both God of War and Spider-Man were the huge hits they were expected to be, there's still some big games on the way and PS4 still has a ton of mindshare. There's also nothing stopping PSX from returning in future years, so there isn't really anything bad or concerning here. The only thing it does is allow for MS to have the end of the year all to itself and start gaining momentum if it hits a home run with X018. But that's not bad either, if MS starts getting back to being the force it was in the 360 days, its going to push Sony to work harder to try and stay ahead and given some of the games we've got the last couple years from cruise control Sony, I don't view a harder working one as a bad thing at all.
@adf86 Sure, but even if they're quiet all through 2019 as well, my point is that they're now beginning to hold back. I'm sure work on PS5 games is underway at this stage, and they obviously can't announce them until they announce the console.
That's fine.
@mclarenrob2 Yeah, I don't know whether it will happen, but I think it's possible.
@getsammyb Yeah I get that but my point was more people are going to think a PS5 is coming next year and I honestly don't see that. Sony will want all of it's biggest games out of the door before PS5 lands cos it was what they did back in 2013 and it gave the PS4 huge momentum.
PS5 wen
@adf86 I'm also not confident that Death Stranding and Ghost of Tsushima is coming out next year. I have more hope for TLOU Pt II.
@mclarenrob2 @get2sammyb maybe if PS5 is backward compatible with PS4 games, Sony will pull a 'plays best on PS5' job like what MS does with XBO-X... but then, maybe not, because if PS5 is announced with a price tag north of $550 (which I don't think it will be), they won't want to kill sales of the PS4 dead and I do think they want to get the current box past the 100M sold goalpost to wrap up this generation with a neat little bow.
@adf86
Wasn't God of War 2 released after PS3 was on the market? Not saying you're wrong but there is precedent for older consoles to get big games even after a new console is out. It makes 2019 an interesting year. There could be two new consoles or nothing, but both companies will be making moves to prepare for next-gen. Looking forward to how it plays out and hopefully we keep getting some damn good games in the meantime.
Having no conference is all really cool but PSX is a community event and should still be held for fans to gather and play games etc imo.
I know the internet loves to rag on sony but it'd have to find a hard time trying to hate on them not having a conference as long as they clearly tell people there won't be one.
Remember when Mr. Layden said he hopes to have something regarding PSN ID changes before the next PSX?
Sure makes you think! :thinking:
@gamer83 That is true yes but I feel the market has changed a lot since, plus that was Sony at their most complacent where they were probably still happy with PS2 still selling despite PS3 struggling. Whereas I think now, I feel they won't to give an inch to the competition. I could be well off the mark of course but that's my two cents.
@Gamer83
What big thing had MS anyway you mean like showing all 3rd party games which release on the PS4 too? The studio's they bought i loved what happend to RARE. Oh yeah Forza, Halo, Gears of War.
@adf86
One possible scenario is making certain games cross-gen, day-and-date. Depending on how its marketed, that could help PS5. Market factors, where we are with stuff like twitter and the like all makes it different than where things were when the transition from PS2 to PS3 happened, no doubt about that, but one thing I don't think Sony wants to ever seen happen again is MS get a year headstart, and I'm almost positive the next Xbox is launching in 2019, I think it has to for MS' sake. There's no way that company doesn't want to move on from the toxicity that still surrounds the Xbox One name 5 years after E3 2013.
still betting on early/mid 2020 for the ps5's release date.
death stranding will most likely turn into a cross gen game.
also i'm getting some "ps5 announcement at e3/psx 2019" vibes from sony's statement.
Chances of backwards compatibility are good because of the ps4s streamlined x86 architecture. Dialing things down for now is fine by me. There are enough good games out there.
@WinterschneeFee haha nicd one, even though he specifically told before psx 2018 but they'll do that eventually...
I just bought the Pro so don't even try it!
I doubt very much PS5 will arrive in 2019. It might well be revealed, but I doubt it'll be on sale until mid-late 2020. There's no rush, PS4 is still knocking it out of the park.
Well there goes my favorite part of the year...
Sony
Always
Wins
@DLB3 If you listen to the podcast, the way he says doesn't seem to suggest that at all. He said ''like Dreams and Days Gone'', suggesting there is definitely more than those two. No reason to worry about that!
At least we'll still get announcements at other events.
@DLB3 ''The elves at the North Pole have been working on it. Let me put it this way: I hope we’ll see events occur so that you don’t have to ask me that question next PSX.” However, Layden also said that, technically speaking, the ability to change PSN IDs is “more complex than you think.”''
That's the real reason. No PSX = no PSN name change
To be fair, I just don't think it would be very exciting, in terms of new announcements at least. Death Stranding is going to be at the Game Awards. So another trailer for Dreams, Days Gone, TLOU2, etc., and you have people wondering why they couldn't have saved those for another time. The notion that they've been spreading themselves too thin between E3, TGS, PGW and PSX isn't new.
I'm thinking something like this at the moment:
Febuary: Days Gone
May: Ghost of Tsushima
September: The Last of Us Part II
December: PSX PS5 announcement
Early 2020: PS5 release + Death Stranding (cross platform)
There's no point in making us sit through 2 hour snoozefest if there if nothing interesting to show or announce. I appreciate the transparency.
A bit off topic but whatever happened to Medievil PS4 ? 😡
Sigh, I always enjoy PSX (and really hate TGA).
That's a shame as I like following PSX (at least from afar). I guess it makes sense in a way though and I still think this points to a PS5 release in late 2019.
That's fine. It's probably going to take me through half of next gen just to play all of the PS4 games I have my eye on anyway.
PS5 November 2019 launch. Dreams and Last of Us 2 cross gen launch titles.
The only thing I have to say about this is that the title of this article is misleading. Cancelled implies they ever announced PSX 2018 at all. They never did and it seems like you've worded it in this way to get more clicks rather than to be informative.
Please hold back the games for awhile Sony, my backlog is so full I'd have to quit my damn job to play everything I want before January.....
@DLB3
There's also the previous psx have had a number of great reveal or gameplay reveal. To the point that people complained when the reveals were not to the level of TLOU and such. Showing only games we already know of would not meet peoples expectation and its obvious at this point that most new reveal would be for ps5 so they can't show new reveals.
I'm just wondering what E3 is going to be about though. Hmmm
@oatmealwarrior92 I've been wondering the same thing, i hope it hasn't been cancelled
@oatmealwarrior92
SLayden said a word about it in the podcast. Something like he's not ready to talk about it now but he will be next podcast
@Toadie My guess is that the game is going to be remake so it'll take. I'd like to think if it was a port of the psp game we would have seen it by now.
@ZeroAbbadon nothing new here, unfortunately. The problem is that they don't really listen since revenue > complaints
@Octane I like your timeline, but what do they show at E3 2019 if the PS5 isn't announced until December besides TLOU2 and Death Stranding for the umpteenth time? They can blow off PSX, but they can't have another lame E3.
Oh December is a HORRIBLE time to announce a new console, I think it would kill PS4 game AND console sales for the holiday. At least at E3 people will know and just be on the lookout for good BF deals.
I used to be all in for following the PS4 timeline in 2019, early announcement, big on games at E3, late launch, but somebody on here talked me out of it, so I pushed everything back a few months to E3 hardware, games at PSX, console in March 2020. PS3 was due early in the year, got delayed due to blu-ray drive isdues, PS4 launched in Japan in February, Switch launched worldwide in March. So despite my thinking consoles should launch for the holidays, I've since changed my mind. Get the first wave early adopters in the spring, use the summer to replenish stock for the holidsys. It keeps sales constant the first 12 months, no spring/summer swoon after the holiday launch.
Now I do think PS4 has enough games to last until 2021, but MS won't wait, and new Switch may launch by then, and most people will have 4k TV by holiday 2019 - they'll buy them then ahead of PS5 in March - so PS4 may be OK with waiting, but PS5 and Sony won't be. It needs to happen before everyone starts bliwi g their diposable income on other items - iPhones, VR, something.
So, where's Dreams on your timeline? Not that it matters, it's niche, just wondering. ☺
They could still have done PSX and just showcased the great games you can play right now.
Sony giving in to the vocal minority again I see.
People complain on the internet, robbing the most hardcore PlayStation fans a community event to play some video games.
Gamers screwed gamers.
@rjejr It's difficult to say. But I do think that the Switch proved me wrong, a spring release is perfect for the fans, and the more casual crowd will pick it up during the holidays. So it gets a double boost in its first year. Holiday releases are fine, but the first spring is usually quite empty and it doesn't pick up sales until the next holiday. Is a PSX announcement going to kill off the PS4? It worked for the Switch, but the Wii U was pretty much dead anyway. PSX is after Black Friday. This is where a big price cut could help the PS4 survive, despite the PS5 announcement. A great bundle with Uncharted, Horizon and God of War, or maybe Spider-Man instead of Uncharted, like an ultimate PS4 bundle for a very generous price.
E3 could still have TLOU2 and Death Stranding. Third party trailers, COD, FIFA, Project Awakening from TGS, etc. It doesn't have to be a long show, but they could easily fill an hour with those two games and third party stuff alone. MediEvil remake perhaps, depending on when that launches. They could of course tease a PS5 launch title, like Horizon Zero Dawn 2 and leave it at that. If it looks too good to be true, there will be enough people speculating that it's a PS5 title. They don't have to show any TLOU2 until E3, show a long 10 minute demo and drop a September release out of nowhere. That gets people excited too. Third party reveals could have PS5 titles too, just don't give a release window or platform, and we know enough. And if MS has already revealed the Xbox Two by that point, people will temper their expectations, and I hope they will understand that most of the new games are definitely next gen, and maybe cross-platform. Just make sure you announce that ultimate price-drop bundle after you announce the PS5, that takes away any confusion. You don't want people buying a PS4 that late and have them think all those games are going to end up on it
And by the way, MLB: The Show is always a February/March title, could make for a perfect launch title, the more, the merrier
Dreams is such a unique product that it doesn't really matter I think. As long as it doesn't release within 2-3 weeks of any of the other big games it should be fine. I've got the feeling that Media Molecule doesn't even know when it's done. But I can also see them delaying it till the PS5. Maybe cross-gen. If there's one game that benefits from the additional computing power, it's Dreams. With an in-game limit on how many items you can place, it's easy to see how stronger hardware would allow for more creativity, bigger levels, etc. So I don't know when it's coming out, but I do hope it's also on the PS5 if it releases within a year from the PS5 release, and it also relies on the community, sharing 3D models, music, etc. Release it on the PS4 this late, and it feels like they're sending it out to fail in a way. Whereas I can see it being supported on the PS5 for several years.
It's a shame, but it makes sense. They've already shown a lot of info on their big upcoming games, so there's not much point doing this event if there's not much new things to show.
At this point with Nintendo's inspired plan to release the Switch with an absolutely massive tentpole title that sold lots and lots of consoles and then brought out another six months later, I feel Sony would be smart to release the PS5 with The Last of Us 2, then follow it up with Death Stranding. Neither really float my boat, but it would make a lot of Mature PS4 owners early adopters of the PS5. Why waste a 'console seller' on a system that has probably reached full price sales saturation?
@MrGawain To be fair Nintendo needed it, they couldn't afford a slow start with the Switch whereas PS5 wouldn't be under that pressure. If priced right people will happily get it for the new CoDs and Fifa. Horizon would likely be the first major exclusive to come out. Plus how far would Sony want to hold back development on TLOU2 and Death Stranding just to put it PS5, especially when they've been marketing it as a PS4 only title.
fine by me because lets be honest they put a lot out this year already, they probably don't have anything left
welp. Seems like this gen really is wrapping up. I still feel like the ps4 has so much time left tho. I do forget that it released back in 2013 tho lol
@adf86 Yeah true, i wouldn't be surprised if it became a joint PS4/PS5 release in the end, it still feels odd that the PS4 seems to be coming to the end, this gen has flown by, can't believe it's been five years since it came out ! launch day still feels like it was just a couple of years ago to me haha
"doesn’t have enough to bring people together in North America to have that event”
Thank you Shawn for telling the truth why there's no PSX rather than just glossing it with an untruthful answer!
Kudos.
@ronb44 Same... PS4 still feels new to me and forget that it's not just a couple of years old!
@Fight_Teza_Fight Couldn't agree more with this, PSX is great for gamers who love PlayStation and many are disappointed with this decision.
Even without a traditional conference, Sony should definitely make the event for the fans to gather, play games (including demos of incoming releases), collect PSX cards, etc.
Sony cared a lot about haters and the elitists of the gaming media on this one, the same happened with the crossplay debate.
Truthfully I would have been down for just a event showcase.....from what I learned last year when I went to psx I had a blast even if the preshow kickoff and the surprise announcements were a lackluster
I'm a little bit disappointed but not end of the world, there will be other gaming conventions to announce new games or trailers/info at.
I'm calling PS5 announcement showcase early 2019 for release late 2019 or early 2020. They're now likely holding back on game announcements until the new platform has been officially confirmed. Looking forward to seeing what ps5 can do.
@Octane "Whereas I can see it being supported on the PS5 for several years."
You just reminded me, can't wait for Minecraft on PS5, 1 billion by 1 billion blocks wide, the blocks never end.
No Story Mode though I'm guessing.
@rjejr I write a full essay, and all you can do is pick out a tiny quote
Isn't the Minecraft world already infinite? Or is that only on PC?
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