I Think It's Time For A Showcase Consolidation

24 Jun 2022
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So the PlayStation Showcase was yesterday. While they had some strong standout games like Spiderman 2, Phantom Blade 0, Alan Wake 2, AssCreed Mirage, Dragon's Dogma 2 and (IMO) Helldivers 2, there simply wasn't enough present in terms of big AAA reveals to warrant a Showcase. Not to say smaller games like Foamstars or the Journey-like game don't look fun, but they aren't the kind of games that can sustain a PlayStation Showcase, or an Xbox Showcase, for that matter.

What was particularly surprising to me about the PlayStation Showcase is that, aside from not a single non-live service/GaaS 1P AAA game reveal, it was really light on big 3P reveals, too. Again, we got Dragon's Dogma 2, Alan Wake 2 and AssCreed Mirage but in terms of new 3P AAA that was about it. FF XVI we've seen multiple times, same with SF6, and both of those are coming in little under a month. No MK12 gameplay reveal. No Tekken 8 (or new character reveals). No Persona 6. No Castlevania (does this even exist?). No GTA6. No COD. Those and a lot more were missing.

I'm suspecting Geoff made some pulls to get them in his showcase event, SGF, and even Sony will be throwing a few bones over there. But if that all comes at the expense of the PlayStation Showcase itself, and there being a good chance the Xbox Showcase could end up similarly mid for some of the same reasons...is this finally a good reason to argue that maybe some of these showcases need to be consolidated into a single big event? What is stopping Geoff Keighly from making Summer Games Fest a proper digital E3 in everything but name? Can't he court Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo to do their own mixed live/pre-recorded digital conferences hosted under the SGF brand?

At least that way, platform holders like Sony & Microsoft don't have to "give up" 3P reveals just so Geoff's show can have some noteworthy stuff. Because if the shows are combined into a single event, then it won't matter what big 3P reveals Sony, Microsoft, or Nintendo get; they would all be part of Summer Games Fest by default! Geoff could also still do transition pieces between the scheduled conference streams, and this is where the conferences being a mix of live and pre-recorded stuff makes sense. It would REALLY help bring back some of the competitive energy past E3s allowed, and also give Geoff opportunities to do interviews with certain people showing off their platforms and games in real-time (the questions would be scripted though, obviously).

Honestly, I just think these individual platform Showcases have progressively gotten worst since E3 died and since everyone started pulling out. Everything feels segmented & isolated now, and with stuff like the recent PS Showcase there's a clear indication that they can't get a lot of the big 3P content in there they'd otherwise have gotten for an E3 conference, because they're in a sense both cooperating with and competing with Geoff's Summer Games Fest, which needs a lot of that content itself to not be a waste of time. This would all be resolved if Sony & Microsoft (and Nintendo; the Directs are neat but their best E3 shows destroy them) made an arrangement with Geoff to just have their showcase conferences as an integrated part of the SGF show. Then Geoff wouldn't have to worry about getting 3P content; Sony, Microsoft & Nintendo would be doing that by default and SGF would naturally benefit since it's all a part of that show.

We even see a smaller-scale version of this with the TGAs, so it befuddles me that it hasn't been done with the summer showcase events and SGF. But, what do you all think? Do we need a "showcase consolidation" in order to help improve the quality of these events, bring back some lost hype from the E3 peak era, and foster some more friendly competition and 'mic drop' moments? Or are you cool with everyone just trying to do their own thing in their own little bubble?
 

Killer_Sakoman

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I believe that the VGA and SGF enjoy huge live stream numbers. Much bigger than Playstation showcases. Thus, consolidation might eventually become a reality specially when we see that platform holders cannot keep feeding their shows with S ranked content
 

Zzero

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This offers nothing but constraints to the big three so they won't do it.

I hate third parties putting multiplats in these console-specific shows but sadly there's no avoiding it since the very concept of a universal multiplat show for all third parties is impossible.
 

ethomaz

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I prefer sony doing their show separeted.
Like they showed yesterday they have enough content and partners to make several shows in the year.
 
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ethomaz

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I believe that the VGA and SGF enjoy huge live stream numbers. Much bigger than Playstation showcases. Thus, consolidation might eventually become a reality specially when we see that platform holders cannot keep feeding their shows with S ranked content
Is that true?

Yesterday PS shows had over 5.2m views only in YouTube PlayStation channels.
If you add others streaming channels like IGN, EasyAllies, etc... plus Twitch... how many can that be?

In comparision TGA 2022 official channel had 5.3m views today on YouTube (5 months after the show).
SGF 2022 official channel has 1.7m views today (11 months after the show).

Sony Presentations are way bigger than TGA or SGF.
 
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thicc_girls_are_teh_best
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Not happening because they dont have to pay to show up at Summer Game Fest

Wouldn't that actually make it more appealing for Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo to do something with SGF, then? They basically merge their showcase conferences with SGF. Win-win.

No, it's time for them to have better lineup of upcoming games.

I can agree with that, but the issue is Sony's just one publisher. There's only but so many games they can make at a time; I'm focused a lot here on the 3P software being shown, and that the Showcase lacked some things I feel were expected, because they have to "play nice" and let those other shows get those big 3P games.

I prefer sony doing their show separeted.
Like they showed yesterday they have enough content and partners to make several shows in the year.

Well technically they do, but going by some of the reactions there was a lot of content in yesterday's show that just didn't suite the scale of a big PS Showcase.

Is that true?

Yesterday PS shows had over 5.2m views only in YouTube PlayStation channels.
If you add others streaming channels like IGN, EasyAllies, etc... plus Twitch... how many can that be?

In comparision TGA 2022 official channel had 5.3m views today on YouTube (5 months after the show).
SGF 2022 official channel has 1.7m views today (11 months after the show).

Sony Presentations are way bigger than TGA or SGF.

IIRC last year's TGAs had over 100 million viewers across online & television broadcast. So it's always going to beat out these showcases, which are limited to internet streams.
 
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Nhomnhom

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I can agree with that, but the issue is Sony's just one publisher. There's only but so many games they can make at a time; I'm focused a lot here on the 3P software being shown, and that the Showcase lacked some things I feel were expected, because they have to "play nice" and let those other shows get those big 3P games.
d to internet streams.
I just hold Sony accountable for their part and what they control. Third parties are actually doing pretty well now and some have been doing well for some time.

Warner released Harry Potter, EA released Fallen Order and Dead Space remake, SE is about to release FFXVI, Capcom has been doing great for some time, we had Elden Ring last year and so on.
 

John Elden Ring

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Wouldn't that actually make it more appealing for Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo to do something with SGF, then? They basically merge their showcase conferences with SGF. Win-win.

Yes and No. In order to show up at SGF you have to pay a fee, doing your own showcase is free whomever.

So revealing something at SGF is only worth for a publisher if they dont plan to have their own dedicated event, which was the case when they revealed TLOUSPTI back in 2022
 

Yurinka

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No, I think they should do separate ones when they see fit.

As an example, Nintendo released Zelda and pretty likely this year they'll only have Pikmin as somewhat meaningful release, and if as I estimate they release Switch 2 in November 2024, I assume they won't make any big game announcements this year and will push them to next year in order to release them as crossgen launch games.

So I assume they won't make any showcase, at least one with big 1st and 3rd party annoucements. I think that if they do something this year (more likely in September or for TGS) will be focused in indies. And also I think they'll make a Pikmin specific one.
 

nongkris

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If SGF or TGA whatever it's called nowadays had a "Sony Night" "Xbox Night" etc it would be perfect. Basically a return to the e3 format but in the digital era. You also have a set deadline each year that studios have to have content for, vs the thrown together CGI trailers Sony delivered at this last showcase.
 

ethomaz

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IIRC last year's TGAs had over 100 million viewers across online & television broadcast. So it's always going to beat out these showcases, which are limited to internet streams.
I don’t know how to compare TV views but online I believe PS show yesterday was bigger…


The main channel:
peak 2.6m simultaneous viewers
4.1m hour viewers
1.5m average for the 2 hours and 35 minites
Over 600 more channeled streaming it.
 

Nhomnhom

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If SGF or TGA whatever it's called nowadays had a "Sony Night" "Xbox Night" etc it would be perfect. Basically a return to the e3 format but in the digital era. You also have a set deadline each year that studios have to have content for, vs the thrown together CGI trailers Sony delivered at this last showcase.
There is zero incentive for Sony to do this.

Sony can now hold the events whenever they are ready (something that makes a bad events even more unacceptable).
 
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thicc_girls_are_teh_best
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Yes and No. In order to show up at SGF you have to pay a fee, doing your own showcase is free whomever.

So revealing something at SGF is only worth for a publisher if they dont plan to have their own dedicated event, which was the case when they revealed TLOUSPTI back in 2022

I'm sure Geoff & co would find a way to work that out with the Big 3. It is a bit weird though that SGF requires fee payments when that was usually pointed at as one of the reasons E3 died (the associated costs), although I suppose SGF has fairer fees.

Maybe the Big 3 paying a small fee for SGF is worth it if it means they have an extra financial impetus to put on a great show, and the amount they pay would be worth it scaled to what 3P games they could get in their shows, while 3P will go for fair cuts in return for the additional exposure being part of a platform holder's show would bring.

No, I think they should do separate ones when they see fit.

As an example, Nintendo released Zelda and pretty likely this year they'll only have Pikmin as somewhat meaningful release, and if as I estimate they release Switch 2 in November 2024, I assume they won't make any big game announcements this year and will push them to next year in order to release them as crossgen launch games.

So I assume they won't make any showcase, at least one with big 1st and 3rd party annoucements. I think that if they do something this year (more likely in September or for TGS) will be focused in indies. And also I think they'll make a Pikmin specific one.

Well then if NIntendo has nothing and given they have the weakest relationship with 3P in terms of AAA games, then they can just choose to sit out. All the more content for Sony and Microsoft to grab up.

If SGF or TGA whatever it's called nowadays had a "Sony Night" "Xbox Night" etc it would be perfect. Basically a return to the e3 format but in the digital era. You also have a set deadline each year that studios have to have content for, vs the thrown together CGI trailers Sony delivered at this last showcase.

Yes and these are yet other reasons why it could work. Knowing they have a scheduled presence at a big gaming event, even if it's not in-person anymore, would mean a need to keep game production on better schedules, outside of the shareholder influences/pressure.

And since competitors would be at the same event (in a sense), more of a reason for platform holders to ensure they have substantive 1P showings, not just CGI trailers.

I don’t know how to compare TV views but online I believe PS show yesterday was bigger…


The main channel:
peak 2.6m simultaneous viewers
4.1m hour viewers
1.5m average for the 2 hours and 35 minites
Over 600 more channeled streaming it.

I just remember reading a few tweets after the event that the TGAs pulled in a bit north 100 million viewers across online & television broadcasts. I think as an event it's more geared towards television anyway and probably has hosting on various cable & satellite channels, maybe screening events too, I dunno.

The VGA website itself also had info on the amount of viewers, FWIW.
 
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What if deals that are under nda are in place Keighley has summer game fest and the vga then you have gamescom in the middle. Keighley might have a deal with sony for his show like death stranding 2 and last of us remake both got announced at his gig.
 
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Nhomnhom

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What if deals that are under nda are in place Keighley has summer game fest and the vga then you have gamescom in the middle. Keighley might have a deal with sony for his show like death stranding 2 and last of us remake both got announced at his gig.
If one thing is certain in this Earth is that Summer Game Fest is going to be disappointing like always.
 
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