What to Expect from PlayStation's State of Play Showcase

As Sony's event is set to happen today at 2 pm PT/5 pm ET, we're republishing our preidctions expectation piece, which you can read below.

And of course, be sure to check back to IGN throughout the event for coverage of all the big announcements.

Sony has announced its foray into the world of Nintendo Direct’s and Inside Xbox’s with State of Play, a new live broadcast debrief on PlayStation’s upcoming games.

Sony’s initial announcement of State of Play promises new trailers, new games, and new footage on upcoming PS4 and PSVR games. So, with that vague description in mind, it’s of course time to speculate.

So...Will There Be PS5 Talk?

Probably not. Given the specific description of PS4 and PSVR games as the focus, a PS5 tease could take away the thunder from the upcoming library. And, unless Sony is planning a surprise 2019 launch, announcing the console now ahead of even a spring 2020 launch feels like a long lead time in today’s gaming news landscape. (Remember, PS4 was announced in February 2013 and released that November.)

Sure, Sony could surprise us with a mention of what’s to come, but now, even in the face of Google Stadia’s reveal, right now does not feel like a prime time to direct people’s thoughts to the next generation.

What About the Big 3 - The Last of Us Part II, Ghost of Tsushima, and Death Stranding?

Look, I can’t wait to see more of all three of these games, and I do hope we don’t have to wait years before they release. But I think we need to keep some expectations in check. There’s plenty more to hype, (and we’ll get to that in a bit) so cramming all three games into this particular State of Play doesn’t feel neccessary. (And if Sony did focus on all three, it seems odd to have skipped a PSX-style event for such high-profile games.)

Instead, I’m expecting we’ll see one of these games with a trailer that ends in a launch year confirmation. I don’t think it will be Ghost of Tsushima — we’ve seen the least of it so far. The Last of Us Part II is certainly the most high-profile, but, I’d put money on Death Stranding. From the many trailers released to Hideo Kojima’s world tour showing off the game, Death Stranding feels primed to be the first of those three released.

Depending on how Sony wants to play things, I’ll say they announce Death Stranding for a nebulous 2019 release date. If I’m wrong, I’ll write a Kingdom Hearts parody of Hamilton’s “My Shot” and perform it on Podcast Beyond.

What PS4 Games Will We See Then?

Last we heard, Concrete Genie is still expected for a spring release, and with spring officially starting, it feels the time to put this adventure in the spotlight. And an update on MediEvil, maybe with a release date, would allow for another, smaller title to get highlighted.

Days Gone is, of course, right around the corner as well, and assuming Sony doesn’t do another State of Play before its April 26 release, I’d expect some trailer or gameplay highlight here as well. More, MLB: The Show 19 is set to be released next week, so a teaser highlighting that also feels like a given.

And with the miracle that is Dreams actually having a planned retail release this spring, we could very likely get an update on that, maybe with a more specific release date.

Knowing we’ll get announcements, as well, we could finally discover what Bluepoint, the makers of the Shadow of the Colossus PS4 remake, are tackling next. After their work on that and the Uncharted trilogy, another PS4 release feels like a natural fit.

I wouldn’t expect to find out whatever Guerrilla Games or Sony Santa Monica are working on in the wake of their PS4 successes, Horizon Zero Dan and God of War, respectively. Unless the studios are prepping smaller experiences in between inevitable sequels, Sony likely wouldn’t want to add more major first-party games players will have to wait awhile for to its list.

A Vita Successor?

No. I’m sorry, Greg.

And What About PSVR Titles?

Everybody’s Golf is also expected as an early 2019 release, so it feels like the most likely candidate for a spotlight.

There’s also Trover Saves the Universe and Falcon Age, while I’d love to see updates on games like the long-awaited Golem, as well as Blood and Truth.

But really, Sony, please just confirm an Astro Bot: Rescue Mission 2. We all need it.

What About the Format?

Sony’s State of Play announcement doesn’t really indicate the format this show will take — its content sounds like that of an Inside Xbox, but not explicitly saying “live show” could mean it’s a more pre-produced event like a Nintendo Direct.

And I really hope Sony leans more toward the latter than the former. While Inside Xbox’s live format allows them to hop around to different sets and reveals with the feel of a live show, the length and lack of editing on those can really lessen the impact of each announcement. Nintendo’s Directs are short, to the point, and trimmed of almost all fat. They not only are better-produced videos, but they’re more entertaining for viewers to watch, giving off the sensation of a jampacked show, even in their most light iterations.

And Sony has proven it can do that in E3’s past, with trailer after trailer showing off its arsenal. Hopefully, it leans more toward that format and less toward last year’s poorly received E3 showcase.

What are you expected to see in the first episode of PlayStation’s State of Play? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to tune into our weekly PlayStation show, Podcast Beyond!, for news, analysis, and impressions of everything big in the world of PlayStation each week.

Jonathon Dornbush is IGN's News Editor, PlayStation lead, and host of Podcast Beyond! Talk to him about how dumb his predictions are on Twitter @jmdornbush.

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