Sony Postponed Its PS5 Announcement In The Wake Of George Floyd Protests

Sony was expected to give new details about the launch of the Playstation 5 on Thursday, but that company announced Monday they were postponing that event in the wake of nationwide protests following the killing of George Floyd. Sony announced that the event would be postponed to a later date in a message on Twitter along with a nod to the current situation in America, where thousands have taken to the streets to protest police brutality against people of color and called for systemic changes in the wake of centuries of discrimination.

The message didn’t directly address protests against police brutality, but did say the current climate was not a time for “celebration” and Sony wanted instead “to stand back and allow more important voices to be heard.”

The hardware company joins EA Sports in postponing gaming events in the wake of the George Floyd’s death and the subsequent protests that have taken place in more than 100 cities in America and around the world. The developer had scheduled a reveal of its latest Madden game for this week but announced Sunday that it would also postpone its virtual event.

Major gaming events had already been considerably altered in 2020, starting with the COVID-19 pandemic shutting down many conventions and conferences, including June’s scheduled Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles. Many companies had considered hosting livestream events online to announce their products, and the PS5 announcement is one of the most anticipated of the next generation of consoles. It’s unclear when Sony or EA will reschedule its events, but we know little new information will officially come out in the current political and social climate.