E3: Soapbox The State of Play Branding Seems Confused
Should we be excited for the next one?
I don't know if I should be looking forward to the next hypothetical State of Play livestream, and that's a problem. What was originally designed as an online platform for Sony to showcase upcoming PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 titles (in a very similar vein to a Nintendo Direct) has now morphed into something that even the most committed Sony fans will probably skip watching from time to time. That's because the branding has been adopted across simple gameplay trailers for past first-party titles such as Demon's Souls and Destruction AllStars. And while those games absolutely needed to be shown in the flesh at the time, it gives a very blasé feeling to the State of Play name. Obviously, Sony would communicate ahead of time if an upcoming showcase is centred around new announcements and reveals, but I don't really get that sense of excitement when the term "State of Play" is muttered anymore.
The first few streams back in 2019 were what lent some legitimacy to the idea. While there weren't loads of huge announcements that broke the internet, Final Fantasy VII Remake made its long-awaited return and Resident Evil 3 was also confirmed to be a thing during past presentations. So, you know, information worth tuning in for at least. Then came State of Play broadcasts focusing on The Last of Us: Part II, Ghost of Tsushima, and one final stream dedicated to PS4 games and a handful of PS5 experiences. At the time, Push Square editor Sammy Barker applauded Sony for allowing the project "to find its way". However, since then, I don't think the term has been used effectively.
Read the full article on pushsquare.com