Sony to launch State of Play videos for PlayStation 4, PlayStation VR

By Aaron Mamiit March 24, 2019

Sony is set to launch State of Play, a new video program that will feature updates and announcements for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation VR.

The first episode, which will be released on March 25 at 2:00 pm PT, will showcase new PlayStation 4 and PlayStation VR titles, including new trailers, game announcements, and gameplay footage, according to a post on the official PlayStation Blog.

The new program is being compared to Nintendo Direct and Inside Xbox, which Nintendo and Microsoft use for similar purposes. Sony is not explicitly saying that State of Play is a live show, which may mean that it will be a pre-recorded video like Nintendo Direct presentations, and not an actual live stream like Inside Xbox episodes.

Some of the PlayStation 4 games that are expected to be part of the first State of Play include Death Stranding, The Last of Us Part II, Ghost of Tsushima, and Days Gone.

Given the focus on software on the official blog post, it does not look like Sony will be teasing the PlayStation 5 in the first episode of State of Play, through there is a possibility that the company will use the program to reveal its next-generation console in the future. However, with Google Stadia looming as a threat, Sony might try to pull something off sooner than expected.

PlayStation 4 and PlayStation VR owners who are interested in watching the first-ever State of Play may stream it on the official PlayStation channels on Twitch and YouTube, or through the official PlayStation accounts on Twitter and Facebook. After the episode, it will be uploaded to these platforms for those who would not be able to watch it live.

Sony is skipping E3 2019, which means that the PlayStation will not have a presence at the annual video game event for the first time ever. Nintendo and Microsoft will look to take advantage of this, but Sony will likely release another State of Play around the time of E3 2019 to keep in step with the major announcements of its rivals.

The overall format and tone of State of Play is currently unclear, but fortunately, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation VR fans will not have to wait a long time to find out.

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