Sony postpones PS5 event amid BlackLivesMatter, George Floyd protests

Sony was expected to release new details about games for the upcoming PlayStation 5, but has been forced to delay because of the US protests.

Given the content of some video games, it’s somewhat understandable why Sony might think now isn’t the best time to talk about them. Picture: AP Photo / Rockstar Games

The coronavirus pandemic has already been predicted to delay next generation gaming consoles from Microsoft and Sony, but a different piece of world news has the latter delaying a planned launch event.

Widespread protests against police violence and systemic racism are taking place in the United States, sparked by the recent police-involved deaths of African-Americans George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, as well as the shooting death of Ahmaud Arbery, allegedly killed by a former cop and his son while jogging in the middle of the day in an incident described by the Arbery family’s lawyers as a “modern lynching”.

In light of the current situation, Sony has postponed a PlayStation event that was scheduled for this Thursday in order to “allow more important voices to be heard”.

The company made the announcement via PlayStation’s Twitter page on Tuesday morning.

pic.twitter.com/ZAY8StN0EU

— PlayStation (@PlayStation) June 1, 2020

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Sony was expected to reveal new details about some of the games that would be coming to its next-generation PlayStation 5 console in the hour-long event, but gamers will now have to wait a little longer.

Electronic Arts has also delayed an event for its popular Madden NFL series, and Google has delayed an Android announcement as well.

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Many brands have addressed the ongoing protests, and that has often resulted in them being ridiculed online (Such as this message that was posted on the Instagram pages of Disney and its owned Star Wars and Marvel intellectual properties).

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It didn’t take long for commenters to hit out at Disney.

“Yeah that’s why it took 30+ years to have a black princess,” another wrote alongside a cry-laughing emoji.

“Prove it. Open the wallet, talk to your partners and prove it,” another dared.

Some thanked the corporation for its message, others simply commented “#blacklivesmatter”, and some asked Disney to reveal where it stood “against rioting and looting”.

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PlayStation fans will have to wait a little longer to find out more about the new games that will launch with the console. Picture: Charly Triballeau / AFP

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The NFL was also ridiculed for a message from commissioner Roger Goodell who said he was “greatly saddened by the tragic events across our country”.

People pointed out that former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick was essentially forced out of the league after staging peaceful protests against ongoing police violence by taking a knee during the national anthem in 2016.