TOKYO--Several months ago, Sony Computer Entertainment announced plans to hold a premiere event in Japan prior to the Electronic Entertainment Expo, where it would unveil its next-generation console, most commonly called the PlayStation 3. Reportedly, the event was scheduled for March, but the month passed by without any invitations going out to members of the Japanese game industry. Today, Reuters Japan is reporting that SCE has officially canceled the event, ending speculation that there would be a surprise announcement tomorrow, the last day of the month.

According to Reuters, SCE originally planned to release general details on the PlayStation 3 in March and then unveil the actual machine in May at E3 in Los Angeles. Sony told Reuters that it decided to cancel the PS3 meeting because it "would pressure game publishers" if held in March, but it left the door open for another pre-E3 event. The company also emphasized that the cancellation is not a sign that the PlayStation 3 development is falling behind, and it still intends to unveil the machine at E3 at the latest.

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