Sony changes plans, now skipping PAX East

Sony changes plans, now skipping PAX East

Coronavirus affects major show taking place next week.

Sony has announced that PlayStation will be skipping PAX East, just days after revealing a tantalizing lineup of products that would be on display at the fan-centered event. An update on the PlayStation blog confirms the news and the reason behind it:

UPDATE: Today, Sony Interactive Entertainment made the decision to cancel its participation at PAX East in Boston this year due to increasing concerns related to COVID-19 (also known as “novel coronavirus”). We felt this was the safest option as the situation is changing daily. We are disappointed to cancel our participation in this event, but the health and safety of our global workforce is our highest concern.

This comes at a crucial time for the brand, which is seeing its PS4 console sales slow down and the anticipation for the reveal of its next generation product grow exponentially. With major releases yet to arrive — Final Fantasy VII Remake and Last of Us 2, to name a few — delaying the show could be seen as a blow to the company. We’ll see if this affects any other companies at PAX East and GDC, as the virus becomes more serious.

Source: PlayStation