We’ve had a little while to wait since the last one, but PlayStation’s State of Play finally returns on Thursday, August 6th at 1pm PT/4pm ET/9pm BST with an emphasis on taking a look at all things PlayStation.
Well, “all” as in every PlayStation console currently available. Sony have been smart to temper expectations by disclosing ahead of time that there won’t be any major PS5 news, such as price or release info. Adding to that, no first-party titles for the PlayStation 5 will be showcased. Here’s hoping everyone can remember that when the stream rolls around.
Instead, August’s State of Play will mainly focus on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation VR games, with a closer look at some of the PS5 games already announced in June during the console’s games reveals. Again, don’t expect the world from this event.
What should you realistically expect, though? Here’s what might be coming your way on Thursday, bearing in mind that these are just educated guesses.
Game Reveals & Closer Glimpses
The first thing to note about State of Play is that it will apparently be 40 minutes long, which is unlikely to be packed with reveal after reveal after reveal. Expect gameplay demonstrations of stuff we already know about.
There are quite a few huge games coming to the PlayStation 4 before the year is up, the biggest of them all certainly being Cyberpunk 2077. It seems that Xbox have a deal with CD Projekt Red to market the game, which means that it’s probably Sony’s turn to offer a new glimpse. It’s been a little while since we had a closer look at gameplay, so it’s definitely time.
Marvel’s Avengers is arguably the next biggest game of September, and with PlayStation 4 owners getting exclusive access, it’s not crazy to suggest that State of Play will offer a more in-depth look at the game overall. Betas are also due very soon, so Square Enix will probably be wanting to push pre-orders a little bit more.
One game we’re actually fairly certain to see is Crash Bandicoot 4, which the Japanese PlayStation Blog has apparently already revealed. Journalists and content creators recently had the chance to play the game, so maybe we will get a deeper dive into what they played and how the game is shaping up.
Call of Duty 2020 also has an outside chance of being shown at State of Play, though the only issue is Warzone. Its new season will begin the day before, so it’s doubtful that Activision will want to take the shine off it. It looks like it will be called Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, judging from a leaked Doritos bag. Gaming is so strange.
It’s a comfortable bet that Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2, the upcoming duo of remakes, will also be getting a small exhibition. We’ve not seen a lot of the gameplay just yet, meaning that State of Play might be the perfect place to do just that. As long as it works a heck of a lot better than Pro Skater 5, this one should please veteran fans.
And finally for PS4, Star Wars: Squadrons, the dogfighting game in space that’s available for a lower price, isn’t too crazy a guess as to what will be coming to State of Play this Thursday. We could all do with a little more gameplay for it, so here’s hoping EA deliver.
Oh, FIFA 21 as well. That will probably get a 10 second glimpse that shows how little has changed.
As for what PS5 games you can expect, remember to not expect the world or anything mind-blowing. It’s probable that we will get a few more tidbits about the indies from the previous showcase, which means that the terrifying Bugsnax could get a more in-depth glimpse that continues to brainwash us all.
What Not To Expect
Elden Ring. Sorry. That game is in some weird limbo right now.
As well as that, there will almost certainly be very few major surprises. Sony have been wise to temper expectations, so don’t go into this State of Play expecting your whole world to be rocked.
No first-party games will be getting showcased, so chuck hopes for Horizon and others out of the window. Those deep dives will probably come a little further down the line.
Ghost of Tsushima is almost certain to be the last PlayStation 4 exclusive, so anyone still holding out hope for WiLD and Deep Down should probably expect some tears.
All in all, this State of Play should be seen as the calm before the storm, a chance to showcase the broader PlayStation family before Sony really start to power forward with the PlayStation 5. And that’s totally fine by us.
What are you realistically hoping for on Thursday, August 6th when the new State of Play airs? Be sure to let us know down below.
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