Sony has quite a few exclusives lined up for the PS4 and PS5 over the next couple of months. Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut releases on August 20th, Deathloop as a PS5 console exclusive on September 14, Kena: Bridge of Spirits as a PlayStation console exclusive on September 21, Death Stranding Director's Cut on September 24, and Solar Ash as a PlayStation console exclusive on October 26. November is typically the month of big releases, and while many thought that Horizon Forbidden West would release that month, it seems unlikely now.

According to Bloomberg, Sony has delayed Horizon Forbidden West into 2022 leaving a big gap for November. Given the pandemic's impact on the industry, this shouldn't come across as a surprise, but what's noteworthy is that Sony itself has not yet confirmed the delay. There's plenty of reasons for this, but one could tie into a recent rumor. While not as prominent as the July State of Play rumor, many insiders, analysts, and the like have predicted that Sony will host a State of Play on August 12. But, fans can know if this is actually the case just as they did in July: by watching the Tuesday before August 12, which in this case is August 10.

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Sony's Announcement of State of Plays

xbox game pass july 2021

There has been four State of Plays in 2021, and with the exception of one showcase, they have all stuck to one pattern. The April 29 State of Play was that exception because it was announced on Monday, April 26. However, the February 25 State of Play was announced on Tuesday, February 23; the May 27 presentation was revealed on Tuesday, May 25; and the most recent presentation, the State of Play on July 8, was announced on Tuesday, July 6. Ergo, if the rumors surrounding the next State of Play hold any water, it would be announced on Tuesday, August 10.

Of course, PS5 fans should use this to exercise caution instead of hype. All rumors should be taken with a grain of salt, and this one may be on murkier waters than past rumors. So, instead of spending the week excited for a potential State of Play, fans should watch August 10. If it passes with no announcement, then the chances of a State of Play happening this month are slim. A lot of this rumor tends to ride on patterns itself: it's notable that April and May were essentially back to back presentations, skipping June. It would stand to reason that a back-to-back July-August presentation, skipping September, would fit into Sony's plans, but all of this is rumor and speculation at this time.

The next biggest question, of course, is what would be there. It's unlikely to feature any new big announcements, so any of the aforementioned games could get the spotlight ahead of release. At the same time, it would be a good chance for Sony to offer some good with the bad. It would make sense to announce Horizon Forbidden West's delay there but accompany it with some new gameplay for fans to salivate over in the meantime. A separate rumor, which is perhaps even more unlikely, suggests that a God of War: Ragnarok trailer is set to release this month, and it would make sense for that to be at the next State of Play. If it is indeed happening on August 12, fans could also expect Sony to manage expectations on announcement as it did with July, but for now, fans should wait and keep expectations in check.

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