So right now, we’re in the midst of a major shutdown of, well, pretty much everything due to the Coronavirus. States are shutting down bars and restaurants; stores are becoming barren with supplies; and, well, E3 is no more.
But this, soon enough, shall pass once a vaccine is figured out and all that. But even then, E3 is no more, as we pointed out in a previous editorial. And while there are a lot of digital events that will be happening (so we can enjoy them in our jammies like damn human beings), there’s not really any sort of gathering planned to get us through the doldrums of our gaming summer.
Ah, but that’s where I’d like to make a request – PlayStation Experience.
For those unfamiliar, this Sony-exclusive event was a big hit with fans over the years. It originally began in 2002 in Europe, but started its U.S. run in 2014, taking place in Las Vegas, Nevada. Soon enough, Sony moved it to San Francisco and finally Anaheim, where players could go to Disneyland when they weren’t enjoying up-and-coming games on the horizon.
The last couple of years haven’t seen an event like this, but both 2016 and 2017 were magical years for the event. 2016 in particular was huge, as Sony introduced a number of potential hits, like Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite, Persona 5, and several others. It became a haven for both AAA and indie releases. 2017, not so much, as there weren’t as many games. But it was still a winner with fans.
Then, in 2018, it kind of faded off. Sony switched it to Southeast Asia for some reason and left U.S. gamers high and dry. Then it started skipping E3 and going with digital presentations, akin to what Nintendo was doing with its Direct specials.
But here we are in 2020, with the PlayStation 5 just months away (pending any sort of Coronavirus-related incidents, of course), and there’s no word on what Sony has in mind. That’s why we’re thinking that the PlayStation Experience would be perfect. Mind you, later this summer (think late June or early July after all this illness stuff is figured out) when we could get a first look at the hardware and, more importantly, the games the company has in mind.
Sony’s always had a way to pace these shows out so that users could enjoy a handful of great games, including potential PS5 releases. So, a new PSE in Anaheim would make sense. First off, it wouldn’t be overcrowded like E3 usually is, preventing pretty much anything from being seen. And Sony could literally take the show any direction it sees fit, whether they’re hyping Horizon Zero Dawn 2, Knack 3 (c’mon, you want it) or whatever else it has planned for the new hardware. Not to mention a great indie showcase for those that want to see it.
And considering that E3 is done for (and, for that matter, EA Play and, for all we know, maybe even PAX West), we need some kind of get-together to remind us how great gaming is. And the PlayStation Experience could be the comeback ticket.
Obviously, Sony isn’t thinking about it at this moment, since it’s just released MLB the Show 20 and Nioh 2 for fans to enjoy, with The Last of Us Part II not too far off. But it doesn’t hurt to have it in the back of their minds, prepping for some kind of summer event where people could get together and enjoy all that Sony has to offer.
Just a thought. I mean, what else are they going to do, have a digital presentation? It makes sense if the Coronavirus is long-term, sure. But they want that crowd reaction. They heard it from the previous PSE events and it just works. And the PlayStation 5 could bring the biggest one yet, especially – and we’re crossing our fingers on this – if backward compatibility is a thing. We need that.
So, give it some thought, Sony. Obviously, you’ve got other things on your plate, but the return of the PlayStation Experience would be a big hit with us. And, hey, you could bring back Cory Barlog and company for presentations. And surprises. Heck, even bring along Greg Miller for something. (Provided he’s wearing a shirt.)
