It’s amazing how one announcement can seemingly shift the entire current dynamic of the gaming industry.Bethesda’s delay ofRedfallandStarfield, however justly so, opened up a big space in the coming fall/holiday season.Starfieldwas set up as THE game of the holiday season, and without it, nothing else has yet to be confirmed for November—what amounts to typically the busiest month of the year.
Now, of course, other games are likely to fill those holes.Pokemon Scarlet and Violet,for example, are likely to release in November per Nintendo’s current schedule, and there are plenty of third-party games with pending release dates. It just feels empty, but luckily, relief may be right around the corner.
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Xbox and Bethesda are likely to go big at theXbox and Bethesda Games Showcaseon June 12, while Summer Game Fest begins a little sooner on June 9. The 505 Games Showcase is set for May 17, and other brands and publishers will likely announce their own rather soon. June will likely be filled with video game news, and the now-barren fall/holiday season could at least confirm a few new titles. Of course, first-party wise, many are waiting on Nintendo andSony, and there have been rumors of a State of Play event relatively soon.
Of course, “relatively soon” probably means the first week or so of June. It’s possible, even, Sony forgoes an event entirely. It has diverged from the now-canceled E3 for quite some time, after all, but it would make sense forSonyto host a State of Play within the next few weeks for a couple of reasons.
State of Play vs. PlayStation Showcase 2022
First, it’s best to manage expectations. Sony will likely host a State of Play, maybe even an E3-level State of Play, but it’s not likely to put on a PlayStation Showcase. State of Plays can be thought of as periodical updates, whereas PlayStation Showcases are Sony’s biggest event. Both PlayStation Showcase 2020 and 2021 took place in September, so it stands to reason the next one would be in September too. No, it’s likely that Sony shows off a handful of games to prep the coming months at a State of Play, and there are three worth noting:Final Fantasy 16,God of War: Ragnarok, andHogwarts Legacy.
The Final Fantasy 16 Trailer is Ready, But May Need a Home
Final Fantasy 16may be the best reason for a new State of Play Event. Producer Yoshi-P recently saidthe nextFF16trailer was ready to gobut couldn’t be shown quite yet, without providing reasoning as to why that is. Though this is speculation, Square Enix would want to make sure this was somewhere all eyes could be on it, and a State of Play fills that hole nicely. Of course, many have hoped and pleaded for aFinal Fantasy 16to appear at a State of Play and it hasn’t since it was revealed, but perhaps that twist will actually work here for fans.
Yoshi-P has also suggested thatFinal Fantasy 16’s development is nearing completion, so perhaps a release date wouldn’t be too much to ask.
State of Play Would Be Wise to Put All Eyes On God of War: Ragnarok
Speaking of release dates, many gamers are likely feeling a little uneasy followingStarfield’s delay. Many want to know what the next big holiday game is. WhileGod of War: Ragnarokis as likely to release in September as it is November, fans want to know when they can expect it and/or if they can expect it this year. The last update suggested thatGod of War: Ragnarokwas still on track for 2022, so confirming that, or revealing a delay, would be better done sooner than later. Either way, this would likely alleviate some anxiety from fans.
Hogwarts Legacy Advertising Has Gone Hand in Hand with PS5
Hogwarts Legacyis not a timed PS5 exclusive like Final Fantasy 16, nor is it a full-blown PlayStation exclusive likeGod of War: Ragnarok, but it did have its own entire State of Play a few months back. There is clearly some marketing agreement between Sony and Warner Bros. forHogwarts Legacy,so more of it soon makes sense. Perhaps it would appear more at a PlayStation Showcase later this year, but it right now has the potential to be the biggest holiday game of the year.Avatar: The Frontiers of PandoraandHogwarts Legacyare both big games based on big IPs that are reportedly still on track for this year.
Just as confirmingGod of War: Ragnarok’s release date(or a delay) would reduce anxiety there, the same could be said ofHogwarts Legacy. Now, is it likely thatFinal Fantasy 16, God of War: Ragnarok, andHogwarts Legacyall appear together at a State of Play? Probably not. Is one of these games enough that Sony may be willing to act soon? Hopefully.
