PlayStation reportedly won’t host February trade event

Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) will reportedly not host its annual Destination PlayStation trade event this year.

Destination PlayStation is an annual behind-closed-doors event usually held in February, where PlayStation traditionally showcases its plans for the year to its various commercial and third-party partners.

According to journalist Mike Futter, the platform holder has opted to hand over control of this year’s event to a “major distributor.”

It’s suggested that the decision to relinquish control of the event could be so that SIE can focus on its plans to unveil the PlayStation 5.

If marketing and PR plans for PS5 match the timing of 2013’s PlayStation 4 unveiling, Sony could be planning to reveal its new console in February, which would clash with Destination PlayStation.

As discussed in VGC’s PS5 reveal event analysis, a February event would be conveniently timed for SIE’s PR and marketing teams and precedes key B2B meetings planned for PAX East and GDC in late February and March.

On Monday Sony confirmed it will not be attending E3 for the second year running.

The platform holder will skip June’s annual Los Angeles expo to instead showcase PlayStation 5 at other events.

In 2019 former SIE America boss Shawn Layden referenced Destination PlayStation as one of the reasons the company had decided not to attend E3 that year.

“Now we have an event in February called Destination PlayStation, where we bring all retailers and third-party partners to come hear the story for the year,” he told CNET.

“They’re making purchasing discussions in February. June, now, is just too late to have a Christmas holiday discussion with retailers.”