Sony may not host its annual PlayStation Showcase because it believes it could strengthen Microsoft's case with regulators that are currently scrutinizing its acquisition of Activision Blizzard King. A couple of regulators have already weighed in and approved it, but some like the UK regulator are taking a closer look. The core conflict of Microsoft's acquisition is Call of Duty, which it claims wouldn't be made exclusive but Sony has said Microsoft's offer was not enough.
Meanwhile, PlayStation fans have been eagerly awaiting a PlayStation Showcase, and the two are connected per a recent insider. For the past few years, Sony has held a PlayStation Showcase in September. Last year, for example, it showed off its exclusives like Knights of the Old Republic Remake, Marvel's Spider-Man 2, Marvel's Wolverine, and God of War Ragnarok. That obviously didn't happen this year, and many rumors suggest Sony was moving its PlayStation Showcase to October. Some are still pushing this rumor, but at least one person seems to suggest this won't be the case.
According to insider Millie A, who has a strong record, Sony was expected to announce the PS Showcase on October 11, with it taking place on October 20. A 9-day announcement window doesn't necessarily fit with Sony's past patterns, but then again, it broke the September pattern. Sony was expected to reveal exclusive titles and first-party IP, like what leaked alongside the Horizon Zero Dawn Remake, with Kojima's Elle Fanning teaser and the Silent Hill reveal taking place there too, before both obviously broke off. There's also be suggestions by Yoshi-P that Final Fantasy 16 would get a trailer in October, hinting at a potential PlayStation Showcase.
But, as the CMA investigates Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Sony doesn't want to give Microsoft any ammo for its counterarguments. Indeed, Millie A states plane as day that "Sony believe[s] a showcase will add weight to MS arguments," so Sony is "holding firm" for now. Obviously too, the investigation probably won't end soon and this makes a PS Showcase anytime soon unlikely.
This makes a lot of sense too, as Sony has been reluctant to reveal a ton of details regarding God of War Ragnarok, despite its launch just being a month away, but obviously this is all messy. The fact is, if Sony wants to reveal a bunch of exclusives, it's well in its right too. Call of Duty is a juggernaut, no doubt, but Sony has a much more established exclusive base than Microsoft. If Sony did go all out on a PS Showcase for its fans (and it should), it would be a big display of Sony's current and upcoming exclusive projects. It's messy, simple as that. One can fault Microsoft for buying up studios if they wish, but Sony dominated the entire PS4-Xbox One era with exclusives. Its entire bet, despite its massive library of games and games in development, is that Call of Duty would fundamentally change that competition, not deny it, and maybe it would. It remains to be seen how this all plays out, but the situation is still developing.