Sony Will Not be Attending E3 2020, ESA Responds

After months of speculation, Sony has now confirmed they will not be attending E3 this year. This will mark the second year in a row Sony has decided to not attend the gaming convention held in Los Angeles.

Sony told GameIndustry.biz that rather than attending E3 2020, the company will be concentrating on attending ‘hundreds’ of consumer events throughout the year, putting a spotlight on PS4 and PS5 games and hardware.

In the release, Sony said: “After thorough evaluation SIE has decided not to participate in E3 2020,” said a Sony Interactive Entertainment spokesperson. “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.

“We will build upon our global events strategy in 2020 by participating in hundreds of consumer events across the globe. 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.”

For many major publishers, E3 was the premier convention to get on stage and unveil new games and hardware for media and enthusiasts alike. While other publishers such as Nintendo and Xbox have taken to holding their own events outside the E3 walls, Sony was the last of the big three to hold out. However, in 2019 that changed when Sony decided to not attend the convention.



Following Sony’s announcement, the ESA wrote a statement on its website. An ESA spokesperson said: “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.”

The ESA, E3’s organizers, has been facing an uphill battle for many years. As streaming platforms and other conventions have given publishers accessible alternatives to release information to their audience, the ESA has had to hold on to E3’s relevance and pivot their strategy. In 2017, ESA began selling tickets to the public.

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