Sony’s focus at the E3 gaming conference suggests confidence in the PlayStation’s continued popularity with gamers.
Unlike Microsoft’s unveiling of the Xbox One X at E3, Sony didn’t focus on new hardware when it took to the conference stage in Los Angeles.
Instead, the company, which already has the lion’s share of the gaming console market, celebrated the biggest titles which will be arriving for the PS4 and for Playstation VR.
Its media showcase was very heavy on its gaming titles, especially exclusive content such as Spider-Man, which Sony has foregrounded as the main difference between itself and console rival Microsoft.
The gaming trailers shown on the E3 stage were almost all sequels to existing gaming franchised and brands.
The eighth instalment of the God of War series was a soft reboot of the franchise, moving the narrative away from the Greek mythology which had influenced the previous games into Norse mythology.
A glimpse at the sequel to Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End displayed some of the series’ highlight set pieces and puzzles.
For most attendees and onlookers, PlayStation’s Spider-Man title was the blockbuster announcement with its extravagant visuals and choreographed stunts, including parkour, web-slinging and, of course, a helicopter chase.
Sony announced that it had sold more than 60 million PS4 consoles over the last four years, with titles such as Horizon: Zero Dawn, which is getting an expansion, contributing to more than 487 million games being sold.
Also announced at E3 were a number of new games for the PlayStation Virtual Reality (PSVR) headset, which was released worldwide last October – and which the company claimed had sold over one million units.
VR games announced included The Inpatient, a psychological horror and puzzle game requiring the user to figure their way out of the terrifying Blackwood Pines Sanatorium, untangling intrigue, conspiracy and moral dilemmas.
The £349.99 headset is designed to be fully functional with all of the PS4 consoles on the market, hitting the VR gaming market which doesn’t have access to the expensive gaming PCs which dominate the sector.
