The Latest State of Play Failed to Deliver The Hype

See full bio

Abdullah Waseem

At HI Digital I test and write about different hardware configurations to show other PC users what they can expect from their build. My end goal is to educate the masses to make the right decision when they are looking for new PC parts to buy

See full bio

Ever since May started, the news of a potential PlayStation event had been a part of rumors. Finally, after weeks of waiting, the State of Play arrived, and with it came major disappointment since the event had nothing significant to offer.

The main highlight of the showcase was the arrival of God of War Ragnarok on PC. However, this port does nothing much for Sony’s core audience. Making matters worse, the PC release won’t be available in over 100 countries of the world.

Monster Hunter Wilds and Astro Bot were undoubtedly great reveals, but the event completely fell flat on its face otherwise.

Why it matters: While State of Play events usually feature limited reveals, this one aired around the gaming showcase season. This meant that there was more excitement and anticipation than usual.

An Underwhelming Stream Overall

The State of Play had nothing major to offer. It kicked off with Concord. While the in-engine CGI trailer looked interesting, with goofy and interesting characters, the gameplay didn’t support it.

All the excitement was killed when it was revealed that Concord was a 5v5 game heavily inspired by Overwatch. The gameplay offered nothing new and was not something most of the audience would be interested in.

Then there were a bunch of RPGs, which, in my opinion, looked somewhat interesting but didn’t bring anything new to the table. However, we did finally get the much-anticipated release date for Silent Hill 2 Remake.

Apart from the release date, Konami’s remake didn’t impress me. It certainly looked better, but the last trailer set a low bar to begin with. Marvel’s Rivals was another less-than-exciting reveal since the gameplay felt bland, with no exciting prospects.

However, the State of Play was not all bad.

Brief Moments of Brilliance 

For me, the best moment of the showcase was Astro Bot. The little guy finally comes to a full release with the upcoming game, marking Astro’s first outing on a full experience other than VR stuff.

The PS5 demo, which featured Astro in different terrains and environments to showcase the DualSense controller’s capability, was excellent. That will translate into a wonderful experience that I am totally looking forward to.

Monster Hunter Wilds also debuted its gameplay, and I have to admit I am tempted. The mix of in-game cinematics and gameplay was enjoyable, giving fans something to look forward to.

But if I were to sum up the event, it wasn’t very exciting. God of War Ragnarok could have been the best part of the show for me, but with the PSN requirement, it all went to dust.

Fortunately, there is some hope. Rumors suggest more announcements are coming at Summer Game Fest. PlayStation is also expected to host a major showcase later in the year, so the gaming giant may have saved a few reveals for these events.

Abdullah Waseem

[How-To Guides Expert]

Laiba, our tech guru at HI Digital, simplifies and crafts How-To Guides with a Google IT Support Certificate. Beyond tech, she captures the city’s aesthetics through her lens. Join her journey where tech meets creativity!

Get In Touch: Laiba@hidgt.com