Sony Is Delaying This Week's PS5 Event

Days after announcing what will be the first showcase of games playable on the PlayStation 5, Sony has announced that it will delay the event—originally scheduled for Thursday, June 4—because it does not feel that now is an appropriate time for it, in light of world events.

Sony announced the event's delay via Twitter with a short text statement, transcribed below:

Earlier in the day, the PlayStation account released a statement denouncing "systemic racism and violence against the Black community," ending with the hashtag for Black Lives Matter. Sparked by the recent deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, large protests against police brutality and systems of racist oppression have taken place in cities across the United States and around the world. While people gather in the streets to call for reform and justice, PlayStation and several other large companies have expressed support for the Black Lives Matter movement.

On Sunday, Electronic Arts announced that it is postponing a Madden 21 reveal event originally set for today, June 1, in light of the protests against police brutality. Players across various video games, including Splatoon 2 and Animal Crossing: New Horizons, have also taken to showing solidarity with Black Lives Matter by way of in-game messages and customization options.

Little is known about what is supposed to be shown at the PS5 event, beyond a promise that it would run for "a bit more than an hour" and provide a "first look" at PS5 games. It is supposed to be the first in a series of updates, as Sony Interactive Entertainment President and CEO Jim Ryan has promised that Sony has "much more to share" regarding the PS5 following the presentation.