Reaction: Leaks Robbed State of Play of Its Biggest Surprise, But Show Still Spotlighted Many PS5 Games I’ll Buy

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There’s no doubt in my mind that Sony has now mastered the State of Play.

These days, people rarely criticize how a story is paced or presented. The focus is almost entirely on the story itself, and that’s a good thing.

Okay, so last night’s showcase wasn’t quite as amazing as the one we saw back in February 2026, but I still really enjoyed it! I know a lot of people were expecting something huge after the initial announcement and those cool cinema previews, but honestly, I tried to warn everyone not to get too hyped up beforehand. Overall, I’m really happy with how it turned out.

I noticed a lot of excitement online about a countdown timer that appeared on the PlayStation website, but it wasn’t even prominently displayed on the main page, as I mentioned in a recent article. It seems like some fans actively seek out things to get hyped about.

Wow, looking back at everything announced, I seriously want to buy over ten of those games! That’s amazing – it feels like almost everything they showed was a hit for me. Honestly, it’s easier to name the couple I’m not really excited about: Dune Awakening and No Rest for the Wicked.

I have somewhat conflicted feelings about Kemuri myself, but it definitely has a unique style, so I get why Sony chose to feature it.

Just to be clear, I still enjoyed those three games – it’s simply a matter of personal taste. I don’t need to love every game shown at these events, and I was very happy with the many that I did enjoy.

If I was to criticise the show somewhat, I do think it lacked a genuine surprise.

I don’t believe Sony is to blame for the diminished impact of the God of War reveal. Judging by how it was initially planned, the reveal of Laufey would have been incredibly surprising if it hadn’t been leaked beforehand.

It’s easy to see why Cory Barlog, the creative head at Santa Monica Studio, was a bit frustrated on social media last month.

Honestly, when they cut short that part of the show, it really bummed me out. But I have to give them credit for showing those 20 minutes of raw footage – that took guts! I was skeptical about the new God of War game going in, especially with all the rumors, but now that I’ve seen more, I totally get what they’re going for and I’m super excited about it.

I was surprised by a couple of things, but mostly by the announcement of Until Dawn 2 – even though there had been some rumors about it. My coworker, Aaron, actually mentioned it in our chat, so he was right!

I was really excited to see Stuntman: Hollywood announced! I loved playing it on the PlayStation 2, and I think using actual movie licenses in the gameplay is a fantastic idea. I can’t wait for it to be released.

While other reveals have gotten attention, I think Arc System Works really outdid themselves with this Marvel vs. Capcom team. Green Goblin’s design is amazing – he looks incredibly fun to play!

I really enjoyed a lot of the smaller details and references they included, like bringing back Gitaroo Man, the bonus content from Ace Combat Zero, and the Bancho the Chef spin-off of Dave the Diver. They weren’t huge surprises, but they were thoughtful touches that I personally liked.

For years, I’ve noticed PlayStation fans have incredibly diverse tastes – it seems impossible to satisfy everyone. Looking at social media lately, the wide range of conflicting opinions proves my point: Sony could do anything, and someone would still be unhappy.

I don’t want to sound overly optimistic, and everyone has a right to their own opinion. However, I hope PlayStation can focus on constructive criticism, learn from it, and make positive changes moving forward.

I’m not convinced the manufacturer could significantly improve this presentation, as the quality ultimately depends on the games themselves. This showcase featured a lot of games with real gameplay and announced release dates that I’m genuinely interested in purchasing.

This presentation probably won’t be remembered as one of the all-time greats like some from past E3 events, but that’s okay because the gaming industry has evolved. We’re seeing these State of Play showcases happen more often now, and I think that’s a positive change – it gives us something new to anticipate regularly.

If the presentation simply aimed to get me hyped about several PS5 games, it succeeded, and I have no complaints.

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2026-06-03 22:07