As we continue onwards to E3 2021, we have to talk about PlayStation's relationship with E3 and The ESA. They've distanced themselves from the event in recent years and it doesn't look like they're going to show up this year in the same way that Nintendo and Xbox will.
However, that doesn't mean there's nothing to look forward to! Here's what we know about the latest State of Play presentation and all the upcoming PlayStation news.
LATEST - New PlayStation Experience Rumours
There are rumours that a new PlayStation event is due to take place at the end of the month, June 28th to be exact. This information is from a leaker on 4Chan though, so take it with a grain of salt.
According to the leaker, the information was leaked from an email sent to one of the participating companies and it looks like this will be much more of an "event" than their State of Play presentations.
The release date for Horizon Forbidden West, a PSVR2 showcase, and the announcement of a new Final Fantasy project from Square Enix is all set to highlight this "PlayStation Experience" event.
PlayStation probably doesn't have to worry too much about missing out on E3 2021 given their dedicated fanbase and wide array of exclusives, but this would be an interesting way for them to "keep up" with their peers.
Horizon Forbidden West State of Play
A new state of play just dropped recently and it's all about Horizon Forbidden West. We got just under twenty minutes of raw gameplay and plenty of interesting teases into the new area.
You'll be able to watch it on PlayStation's Twitch channel, or via PlayStation's YouTube channel. We've saved you a few clicks, though, and embedded the YouTube stream below:
The unique countdown for the event began at 09:00 PST / 12:00 EST / 17:00 BST and lasted five hours. The countdown offered sights from the game and gave watchers a place to chat before the official gameplay.
Will We See A "State Of Play" In June?
We know that two results aren't exactly a reliable trend, but throughout 2021 we've seen a State of Play presentation from Sony every two months. With this in mind, we could be seeing the next State of Play presentation from Sony at the end of June 2021. This would be just two weeks after E3 2021 and could be the perfect time for one.
You'd be able to avoid being drowned out by E3 2021 news, yet also still ride the hype of all the gaming news that's come before. You'd be the last thing people remember which would arguably put you at the forefront of their minds.
What are we going to see, though? That's anyone's guess. One game we're excited for, though, is Foreclosed. It's a cyberpunk action-adventure that's going to make the most out of the PS5's DualSense. You can check out the trailer below; Foreclosed is due to release on August 12th on PS4 and PS5.
PlayStation At E3 2021
With Sony being one of the leading companies in the gaming Industry and E3 being one of the largest gaming conferences of the year, you'd expect PlayStation to play some part.
However, they haven't done so in previous years, for a variety of reasons.
One of the reasons Sony may be choosing to opt-out of E3 is competition. Sony's biggest competitors, Xbox and Nintendo, are likely to make huge announcements this year with speculation already accumulating for the upcoming Halo: Infinite and Zelda: Breath of The Wild 2.
If Sony chooses to avoid E3 and make the announcements of its upcoming titles on its own, then Sony doesn't have to worry about one of its largest competitors stealing the spotlight.
In the same year that Sony originally dropped out of E3 (2019), they introduced State of Play, their own exclusive event.
This event showcases the biggest and latest PlayStation news, updates and surprises, at a time that's convenient for them! So, we could see another State of Play pop up somewhen around when E3 2021 is happening.
Could Sony Still Appear At E3 2021?
There is absolutely still potential for Sony to join in and announce their involvement with E3 2021.
However, with Sony's previous announcement that they were going to avoid E3 2020 (before it was cancelled), we're not expecting them to make an appearance.
This could obviously change, but with the recent successes of their State of Play presentations... It seems unlikely.
What Games Can We Expect 2021?
Sony uses its State of Play Presentations to announce upcoming exclusive titles and shed more light on previously announced games. Here's what we can expect to hear about from the next episode of State of Play!
Gran Turismo 7
Gran Turismo 7 is the long-awaited title in the popular PlayStation exclusive racing series. As it currently stands, there is no official release date for the 2022 title, but fans could hear more in the next State of Play.
Horizon Forbidden West
Another of PlayStation's exclusives, Horizon Forbidden West, is set to release later this year, though no specific release date has been announced.
Following on from the highly-rated Horizon Zero Dawn, fans eagerly await the sequel of this PlayStation exclusive title.
God Of War: Ragnarok
Sony released a teaser for their latest title in the Kratos-led franchise back in September 2020. Since then, Sony has been very quiet about God of War Ragnarok.
The sequel to the critically acclaimed God of War is expected to be released in 2021. Sony's silence since the announcement regarding the game could mean we will hear more at the next Sony State of Play.