There is no PS5 launch of PAX East: Sony is pulling out of the coronavirus

There is no PS5 launch of PAX East: Sony is pulling out of the coronavirus

We keep wondering, "Where will Sony announce the PS5?" We keep wondering. And instead of answering us directly, Sony keeps telling us where they won't announce it. And oops - Sony has done it again, announcing that they will not be exhibiting at PAX East.

And it's not because the four-day event in Massachusetts is a big deal. Sony has cancelled its exhibit at PAX East because of "growing concerns related to COVID-19 (a new coronavirus). This is the second consecutive show that Sony has cancelled its participation; previously it cancelled its participation in the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, and the show itself was cancelled.

The New England area is not necessarily a hotbed of coronavirus infection, but Sony has taken a cautious side, saying that "the health and safety of our employees worldwide is our primary concern."

The company broke the news by adding an update to the top of a blog post filled with plans for the now-canceled PAX East.

While Sony didn't necessarily intend to announce the PS5 at PAX (it was supposed to announce "The Last of Us 2" and "Final Fantasy VII Remake"), the news does make one wonder when Sony's big console announcement will be. This is because the event will be held on Saturday night, which means that if it is announced this week, there will be virtually no advance notice to the gaming press.

The latest PS5 news we got was from Sony CFO Hiroki Toki, who said plans to announce the next console are "comparable to the past." And given the PS4's February 20, 2013 release date, we doubt they will stick around that close.

Today is already Wednesday, February 19, and Sony is expected to give the press and public a wide window to prepare for the event and not drop it like a Beyonce record. In other words, March is the most likely time for the PS5 to be officially announced. This is because Microsoft has already gotten a head start on Sony with the Xbox Series X, which was announced last December.

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