Sony has been a mainstay at E3 since the annual games industry event began more than 20 years ago. But today, Sony confirmed that it will be skipping E3 2019. This marks the first time that the PlayStation platform holder has chosen to skip the show in its 24-year history.

Sony made the announcement today, saying that it continues to "look for inventive opportunities to engage the community." The desire to "innovate, think differently, and experiment with new ways to delight gamers" has led the company to opt not to participate in E3 2019, meaning the company will not hold its traditional press conference, nor will it host a booth at the show. Sony will not host an off-site event alongside E3, either.

Instead, Sony says that it will explore "new and familiar ways to engage our community in 2019" and that it "can't wait" to share those plans with PlayStation fans. However, while that will be comforting for those hoping to hear something about the PlayStation platform holder's upcoming plans, those who look forward to its annual E3 press conference will likely be disappointed. Sony's E3 pressers have given fans major announcements and the event is such a big deal that it even broadcasts it to movie theaters so that its fans can watch it together.

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Though, some fans will have seen this coming. At E3 2018, Sony chose to ditch the usual glitz and glamor of its E3 press conferences, focusing on a handful of games instead. This included a ground-breaking trailer for The Last of Us: Part 2, gameplay footage of Sucker Punch Production's new game, Ghost of Tsushima, and a baffling trailer for Hideo Kojima's Death Stranding. While fans welcomed this additional insight into the hotly anticipated titles, many took it as a sign that whatever Sony is working on next, it isn't quite ready to show it off yet.

So while Sony is skipping E3 2019, the announcement may also give fans to feel excited about Sony's plans. It is rumored that the PlayStation 5 is releasing in 2021, for example. If Sony does choose to return to E3 (in whatever capacity) for E3 2020, the PlayStation platform holder may have a lot more to show. Whether that includes a new console, lots of major new exclusive games, and third-party blockbusters, is unclear. But with Sony skipping E3 2019, it means that fans have plenty more time to speculate.

Source: Game Informer