Sony will not be attending the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January 2027, marking the first time the company has skipped the event since its debut in 1967. This decision signifies the end of an era for PlayStation's presence at the major technology trade show.
In a statement to Bloomberg, Sony explained that the withdrawal follows a strategic evaluation of its approach to "events and communications based on the needs and priorities of our diverse business." The company indicated a current focus on "entertainment," encompassing games, anime, films, and music, contrasting with CES's primary identity as a technology show.
While Sony's most significant PlayStation announcements were rarely made at CES, the event served as a predictable venue for certain reveals. Notably, in 2020, then-PlayStation boss Jim Ryan unveiled the PlayStation 5 logo at CES, an announcement that generated considerable online discussion due to its perceived lack of substance beyond a simple graphic reveal. More substantial details regarding release dates and technical specifications were typically reserved for dedicated PlayStation events.
Past PlayStation-related news at CES includes the 2022 unveiling of the PlayStation VR2 headset and its launch title, Horizon: Call of the Mountain. In recent years, Sony has also used its CES platform to announce transmedia adaptations, such as upcoming movies based on the Horizon and Helldivers franchises.
Other major console manufacturers have had varied histories with CES. Microsoft revealed the original Xbox at CES in 2001 alongside Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, though it did not maintain a similar tradition for subsequent Xbox announcements. Nintendo, however, debuted a prototype of the Nintendo Entertainment System, then known as the Advanced Video System, at CES in 1984.
CES 2027 is scheduled to take place from January 6-9 in Las Vegas.