Head of PlayStation talks about why Sony won’t be at E3 2019

Sony Computer Entertainment’s Shawn Layden has expanded upon why PlayStation won’t be appearing at E3 2019.

The company’s announcement that it will be skipping what is often regarded as the biggest gaming show of the year came as a huge shock to many.

In a new interview with CNET, Layden said that February’s Destination PlayStation event fulfills what Sony would otherwise aim to achieve at the year’s E3 conference.

‘Now we have an event in February called Destination PlayStation, where we bring all retailers and third-party partners to come hear the story for the year,’ Layden explained.

‘June, now, is just too late to have a Christmas holiday discussion with retailers. So retail has really dropped off. And journalists now, with the internet and the fact that 24/7 there is game news, it’s lost its impact around that.’

It’s true that modern E3 is far more about trailers and spectacle geared toward the consumer than the spreadsheet-laden presentations of decades gone by. So, it’s easy to see where Sony is coming from.

‘So the trade show became a trade show without a lot of trade activity. The world has changed, but E3 hasn’t necessarily changed with it.’

Layden expressed an interest in PlayStation having fewer, larger titles that appeal to its core audience in the same vein as God of War or Horizon Zero Dawn.

‘We feel like if we ring the bell and people show up here in force, people have [the] expectation “Oh, they’re going to tell us something”.’

Related: Upcoming PS4 Games

Sony is yet to lift the lid on what the PS5 will be and when it might release, and time will tell whether a bespoke event will be held this year to announce anything.

With Sony missing out on E3 for the first time since its inception, could Microsoft be gearing up to get a headstart on the next generation with Xbox Two?

What do you think? Are you sad to see Sony absent from E3 2019? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter @trustedreviews.