The full reveals of the PS5 and the Xbox Series X were likely disrupted by the cancellation of E3 2020. However, the good news is we might see the final versions of the two new consoles earlier than we would have otherwise.
Daniel Ahmad, a senior games industry analyst for Niko Partners, made this claim on Twitter (via GamesRadar). However, he also added another tweet as a disclaimer saying that the coronavirus pandemic could cause last-minute changes to these plans.
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Before being cancelled due to coronavirus concerns, E3 2020 was scheduled for June 9 - 11. While there's no actual event taking place either in-person or online, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) that runs the show, said it will instead promote its partners' announcements during this time to spread the news among fans.
With E3 cancelled, a lot of the planned reveals / announcements have been moved out of that single week. Some are now much earlier, others much later. Some still during E3 week ofc.The first proper next gen console/games showcase is much earlier too.April 19, 2020
Sony wasn't due to turn up at E3 2020, having also skipped the 2019 installment of the event. But Microsoft was likely to hold another series of events in its Microsoft Theater over the road from the LA Convention Center where the main part of E3 takes place.
This has been disappointing for people eagerly awaiting a full showcase of the next-generation games consoles. Microsoft has already shown off the Xbox Series X in all its boxy glory, but hasn't really shown any detailed game footage to go with it other than a tech demo of Gears of War 5. E3 was where we'd have expected to see more.
Sony, on the other hand, has only shown off the design of its DualSense controller, leaving us to pore over concept designs rather than any official finalised console.
We have seen some footage of PS5 game Observer: System Redux in action, but that's a remake of an older game rather than something brand new and PS5 exclusive. So Sony has some catching up to do with Microsoft when it comes to revealing console details.
But if Ahmad's tweet is anything to go by, we might end up seeing the PS5's final design a month or so earlier than previously expected. And hopefully a deluge of console exclusives to go with it.
One source (speaking to Video Games Chronicle) claimed that Sony had recently been aiming for a May reveal of the PS5, which would fit with Ahmad's vague schedule. Microsoft was also planning events both in and out of E3, including one in May. However, as Ahmad's tweet reminds us, these plans may have been cancelled or changed very recently.
This news doesn't just apply to Sony and Microsoft of course. We can expect a long period of exciting announcements between now and the end of summer, rather than the intense week of news that typically comes with E3. And then as the end of the year approaches, we have the actual retail launches of the PS5 and Xbox Series X to look forward to, although it's suggested that the PS5 may only be available in more limited numbers than we'd hoped.
