Sony Wishes Its State Of Play Was As Impressive As The Xbox Showcase

Video game events and showcases that provide a glimpse into the upcoming releases have always been exciting. I’m sure you saw the E3 presentations as eagerly as I did. It’s a shame that the event is no longer around, but there’s no shortage of showcases that replaced it. Even the prestigious Game Awards are half awards, half showcases.

In the last few days, we’ve witnessed three prominent events. The Sony State of Play, the Xbox Showcase, and the Summer Game Fest. While the last one was a more neutral event with a bit of everything, the prior two were the age-old rivals going toe-to-toe. Unfortunately, it was nowhere near a closely matched battle.

The Sony State Of Play Was A Disappointment

Did you think “Xbox is the loser, right?” I’m afraid I’ll be disappointing you in this case. While it’s true that Xbox has never quite caught up to PlayStation, this showcase was a clear indication that Sony isn’t doing too great these days, either. Let’s take a look at some of the announcements of the State of Play. First, the more noteworthy ones. 

State of Play | May 30, 2024
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The showcase that effectively blew my hat off and shook the hell out of me was Astro Bot. Trust me when I say that this magnificent gem right here was the best thing to come out of the event. Next up was the Monster Hunter: Wilds presentation, one of the few brilliant moments of the whole event. With a little glimpse into the characters, possible gameplay mechanics, and new monsters, it was a solid treat for everyone.

Moving on were the two Souls-likes, Ballad of Antara and Where Winds Meet. The first one looked absolutely beautiful, while the second was a little rough around the edges, yet fascinating all the same. Last but not least was a display of Path of Exile 2, a solid top-down RPG with local co-op, always interesting.

I’m definitely keen for Path of Exile 2, it looks great! #stateofplay

— Scopic (@scopictv) May 30, 2024

So, what’s next? I’m afraid we’ve reached the end of the line of the good ones. That’s it. The rest of the announcements included the PC ports of God of War Ragnarok and Until Dawn which is not exactly groundbreaking, another look at the Silent Hill 2 remake which I’m still skeptical about, and a new Dynasty Warriors game, more of the same formula.

Now, let’s look at the absolutely ridiculous reveals. State of Play had not one, but two hero shooters. First, it was Concord, but then Marvel Rivals followed it closely. Who in their right mind thought more hero shooters was a good idea? On top of that, Sony thought filling the event with PS VR titles was a great idea. I can assure you, it was not.

So, in conclusion, the entire event by Sony had two solid reveals, two good ones, and the rest all either old news or unappealing showcases.

The Xbox Showcase Was Miles Better

In comparison, let’s take a look at the “inferior platform’s” showcase. Xbox’s credibility and popularity have indeed taken a serious hit recently because of the studio closures and the multi-platform announcements, but at least this showcase was so much of a hit that I momentarily forgot about all that.

Call of Duty Black Ops 6, Indiana Jones and The Great Circle, Gears of War E-Day, Doom The Dark Ages, Diablo 4, World of Warcraft, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Assassin’s Creed Shadow, Stalker 2, Age of Mythology, Fable, Perfect Dark, Expedition 33, Starfield Shattered Space, State of Decay 3, Metal Gear Solid 3 Remake, Fallout 76 DLC and Life is Strange Double Exposure, can you believe this insane lineup?

Every game at the Xbox Showcase 2024
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I went into the Xbox showcase with some expectations, but it’s safe to say that they were too meager in the face of Xbox’s grand ambitions. Xbox has literally showcased almost everything, quality games and trailers one after the other. Sony could never.

I’m not too much of a CoD fan, so Black Ops 6 was not for me. However, everything else, I could never chew this amount Xbox has fed me all at once. The new Doom game looks mindblowing, Indiana Jones and the new Gears of War will be Xbox’s heavy hitters for sure, Metal Gear Solid Delta looks so true to the original that I can’t help but relish in unexplainable nostalgia, Starfield’s Shattered Space completely changed the perception of the game, and in a very great way.

As if this wasn’t enough, Xbox went above and beyond to make this a treat unlike anything else. The triumphant return of Age of Mythology, Stalker 2 and State of Decay coming out of nowhere, Expedition 33 reminding me of a very beloved turn-based RPG of the 360 era, Fallout 76 raising the stakes, and Diablo 4 and World of Warcraft presenting a cinematic showcase (which can’t be more different from the gameplay, but at least it’s great to look at).

Thought the Xbox Showcase was absolutely fantastic. One of the best they've ever had

So many games in there I'm incredibly excited about. Gears of War E-Day, South of Midnight, Fable, and too many others to list. Congrats to all the developers and Xbox teams on that great show

— Benji-Sales (@BenjiSales) June 10, 2024

However, the thing that surprised me the most was a new look into Perfect Dark. With gameplay that immediately hooked me in, it looks like the Golden Eye 007 and Deus Ex amalgam I will pay top dollar for. Needless to say, it was a fulfilling feast. 

Of course, nothing is absolutely perfect, and neither was this showcase. Xbox’s event also had some lows, like Sea of Thieves, South Midnight, and another ridiculous hero shooter called FragPunk. However, a few bad apples cannot offset the unbelievable quality that was the rest of the showcase, unlike the State of Play by Sony.

Where Are Sony’s First Party Games?

Sony’s State of Play was disappointing, true, but there’s another critical problem here. How many Sony first-party games were present at the event? God of War Ragnarok and Until Dawn don’t count, and the only other was Astro Bot, the highlight of the show. Notice the issue? Only one first-party game was present, and that was a great one. If more were present, the showcase would’ve been a lot better.

Take a look at Xbox’s showcase, in comparison. Can you tell me the number of announcements that didn’t have “Xbox Game Studios Presents?” Very few I’m sure. The majority of games were all Xbox’s first-party titles. What’s more, 90% of these are coming to Game Pass Day-One. Yet Sony had none in comparison. Is it letting its established superiority get to its head?

Xbox now has FIFTEEN confirmed first party games in the works
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“Xbox’s games can never compete with us.” That might be true, but when the opposition consistently presents titles, while you have nothing planned for the year, tables can turn sooner than you expect. At least the State of Play should’ve presented a look into Marvel’s Wolverine. At this rate, Sony’s overwhelming reputation cannot protect it for long.