The next PlayStation State of Play event has been confirmed for Thursday, July 8. There have been rumors circulating about this State of Play for weeks, and Sony has finally confirmed what it will be focusing on. Sony has also confirmed that July's State of Play showcase will be centered around third-party titles, including Deathloop from Arkane Studios. While some PlayStation gamers are excited to see what the show has in store, others have expressed some frustration. Many PlayStation fans were hoping for a show focused on first-party games, but with the event's details now confirmed, several top titles are unlikely to appear at all.
In June, unverified leaks concerning the next State of Play started doing the rounds online. Some of the rumors suggested that the next God of War game, Death Stranding: Director's Cut, and Ghost of Tsushima's expansion would have big reveals. A few days ago, Sony confirmed the State of Play for July, but its details haven't lined up with the previous leaks. With Sony's next State of Play showcase confirmed to focus on Deathloop and other third-party games, fans are unsure when they can expect a significant look at PlayStation's lineup of exclusive games.
Horizon Forbidden West
Even though Horizon Forbidden West's development is nearly finished, it's not expected to appear at the State of Play event. Horizon has become one of the biggest first-party PlayStation franchises, and it's for this reason that it's unlikely to be shown off on June 8. Horizon Forbidden West's gameplay was debuted in May and gained praise from fans and critics for its visuals and gameplay additions. While it won't be shown off on July 8, fans can expect some further news on the game soon. Despite the widespread issues the COVID-19 pandemic has caused within the gaming industry, Horizon Forbidden West is still on track to launch in 2021. With less than 6 months remaining in the year, Guerilla Games is likely to show off more of its cross-gen exclusive game in the coming months.
Gran Turismo 7
Gran Turismo 7 is another big PlayStation-exclusive game that's unlikely to get a spotlight on July 8. Racing fans have been excited to see more about the new Gran Turismo, especially since the developer, Polyphony Digital, confirmed it would be returning to its driving simulator roots. Unfortunately, for fans of the series, Gran Turismo 7 has been delayed to 2022. While this is sure to be disappointing news for racing fans, it's not entirely surprising considering how heavily impacted the gaming world has been by the COVID-19 pandemic. It's hard to predict when PlayStation gamers will get their next look at the game, but considering its release is now set for 2022, it could be some time before there's further news.
PlayStation VR 2
With the confirmation that the next PlayStation State of Play is set to focus on third-party games, it's safe to assume first-party hardware won't be in the spotlight either. PlayStation's next-generation VR experience was announced in February 2021, but with the caveat that it won't be released this year. While this may be a letdown for some VR fans, the positive news is that that Sony has confirmed it's working hard on its next-gen VR headset and controllers. Game development is underway for the next-gen PSVR, and it's safe to assume that games will be shown off more in the coming months as more is revealed about PSVR 2.
There is always a chance that third-party games for PSVR 2 could be shown off at the PlayStation State of Play. This is pure speculation, however, and perhaps unlikely to happen. Pavlov VR, a virtual reality first-person shooter, has been casually confirmed to be coming to PSVR 2 by its developer, Vankrupt Games. While it's an outside bet, there is always a chance that Pavlov VR and other third-party virtual reality games could be spotlighted on July 8.
God of War: Ragnarok
Fans were skeptical when the next God of War game was announced with a loose release date of 2021. Most fans felt it was unlikely to release this year, especially so as time went on and no further news was revealed about the anticipated game. In early June, God of War: Ragnarok was delayed until 2022 and confirmed for a cross-gen release on PS4 and PS5. This wasn't surprising for most fans, though there was a palpable sense of disappointment from God of War fans. Later in June, an unverified leak claimed that God of War: Ragnarok would be shown off at a PlayStation event, much to the excitement of franchise fans.
God of War: Ragnarok, unfortunately, isn't expected to appear on the July 8 showcase. This is primarily due to it being one of PlayStation's flagship exclusive franchises and partly due to its recent delay to 2022. God of War: Ragnarok is arguably the most anticipated upcoming PlayStation game, though fans will have to wait a bit longer for its formal gameplay reveal. While it won't be shown off on July 8, there is every chance that Santa Monica Studio will have the opportunity to debut the game during a State of Play event later in the year. If the gameplay does get shown off in 2021, it could mean good things for God of War: Ragnarok's 2022 release window.
Despite all the rumors about the PlayStation State of Play on July 8, the only accurate information as part of these claims is the date of the event. Contrary to the leaks and rumors, this State of Play is going to be focused on third-party titles. This means that fans are unlikely to see God of War: Ragnarok or Horizon Forbidden West appear at the show, which is sure to be disappointing for some PlayStation gamers. While it won't highlight everything that fans have been hoping for, the July 8 State of Play could be an informative look at some of PlayStation's biggest upcoming titles.
