Highlights
- PlayStation is confirmed for Tokyo Game Show 2024 in September as a general exhibitor.
- PlayStation has been distancing itself from in-person events, focusing on State of Play and Showcase livestreams.
- Tokyo Game Show 2024 may feature the reveal of the long-rumored PS5 Pro and focus on Japanese games.
PlayStation is confirmed to be in attendance at the 2024 Tokyo Game Show as a general exhibitor. The announcement is quite significant as it marks five years since PlayStation was last present at the Japanese trade show in a similarly major capacity.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, PlayStation was slowly inching away from in-person gaming events like E3, Tokyo Game Show, and Gamescom due to the high costs associated with renting show floor space and the seemingly low returns on investment from them. Once the pandemic hit and physical shows transitioned to online, PlayStation withdrew entirely from E3 and attended other events like Gamescom and Tokyo Game Show only in minor capacities. This allowed the company to capitalize on its own State of Play and Showcase livestream formats to announce games, and it's been using them to this day.
PlayStation Fans Should Keep Their Expectations in Check About Gamescom This Year
Recent reports indicate that PlayStation fans should temper their excitement about Gamescom, a major German gaming event that will happen in August.
Fortunately, it appears PlayStation hasn't given up on physical events entirely, as parent company Sony Interactive Entertainment has been listed as a general exhibitor at Tokyo Game Show 2024. Many PlayStation fans are delighted at the confirmation, as 2019 was the last time PlayStation had a major presence at the event. Ever since then, Sony has only presented individual titles at Tokyo Game Show and reserved larger announcements for State of Plays and Showcases. Tokyo Game Show 2024 is set to take place from Thursday, September 26 until Sunday, September 29, and tickets will go live starting Saturday, July 13.
PlayStation Will Return to Tokyo Game Show in a Major Way After Five Years
PlayStation will join the likes of Konami, Capcom, Square Enix, and more for a total of 731 exhibitors across 3,190 booths, making the 2024 iteration of Tokyo Game Show the largest ever. It's currently unknown what PlayStation plans to present at the event, but a focus on Japanese games seems possible. Team Asobi's Astro Bot will have been launched by then, but Hideo Kojima's Death Stranding 2 might be due for another trailer since it was last shown off at the January State of Play. LEGO Horizon Adventures may also be featured at Tokyo Game Show 2024 and potentially receive a concrete release date.
Interestingly, the scope and ambition of Tokyo Game Show 2024 could also present the perfect opportunity for PlayStation to debut the long-rumored PS5 Pro, which is supposedly launching in fall 2024. The PS4 Pro was formally revealed in September 2016 and confirmed to launch in November 2016, a pattern that could be repeated for the PS5 Pro. Speculation aside, Sony returning to Tokyo Game Show in a major capacity is encouraging, and PlayStation fans should consider tuning into the event.
