PlayStation Will Not Be At E3 2020

Update 2: E3 2020 has been canceled because of the coronavirus. Digital events are expected to replace it, at least from some companies, including Xbox.

Update: The first press conference time for E3 2020 was just locked in. We'll be tracking the E3 2020 press conference schedule as more companies lock in dates and times.

Original story follows...

Sony will once again be skipping E3. Despite the PS5's imminent launch this holiday season, the company has told GamesIndustry.biz that it will not have a presence at E3 2020.

"After thorough evaluation SIE has decided not to participate in E3 2020," Sony said. "We have great respect for the ESA as an organization, but we do not feel the vision of E3 2020 is the right venue for what we are focused on this year."

In lieu of attending E3, Sony says it will be "participating in hundreds of consumer events across the globe" this year to promote PS4 and PS5 games. "Our focus is on making sure fans feel part of the PlayStation family and have access to play their favorite content. We have a fantastic line up of titles coming to PlayStation 4, and with the upcoming launch of PlayStation 5, we are truly looking forward to a year of celebration with our fans," the company said.

The ESA, which organizes E3, has released a statement stating that it expects this year's show to be as exciting as previous years. "E3 is a signature event celebrating the video game industry and showcasing the people, brands, and innovations redefining entertainment loved by billions of people around the world. E3 2020 will be an exciting, high-energy show featuring new experiences, partners, exhibitor spaces, activations, and programming that will entertain new and veteran attendees alike. Exhibitor interest in our new activations is gaining the attention of brands that view E3 as a key opportunity to connect with video game fans worldwide."

This marks the second year in a row that Sony has opted out of the annual gaming expo. Last year, Sony said it would not be attending E3 because it was looking for other "inventive opportunities" to connect with its own community.

"PlayStation fans mean the world to us and we always want to innovate, think differently and experiment with new ways to delight gamers. As a result, we have decided not to participate in E3 in 2019," a PlayStation representative said at the time.

E3 isn't the only big gaming event that Sony has pulled away from in recent years; the company also hasn't hosted its annual PlayStation Experience convention since 2017.

While E3 has traditionally been a major venue for video game and console reveals, this wouldn't be the first time Sony has unveiled a system outside of the expo. Back in 2013, Sony officially pulled back the curtain on the PS4 during a special "PlayStation Meeting" media event instead of at E3. It's possible the company will host another such event to divulge more details about the PS5 sometime this year.

Sony revealed the first tidbits about the PS5 last May, and since then the company has been gradually drip-feeding more information about the next-generation console. Most recently, Sony unveiled the system's completely unsurprising logo during its CES 2020 briefing. SIE president Jim Ryan concluded the segment by promising that further specifics about the PS5, including the game lineup and other features, will be announced at a later date.

Sony has not yet announced a release date for the PS5, but it is slated to launch sometime in holiday 2020, around the time that Microsoft's rival Xbox Series X console will hit the market. You can read everything we know about Xbox Series X so far in our roundup.