Sony Backs out of PAX Due to Coronavirus

Bunta_Fujiwara · February 2020

https://blog.us.playstation.com/2020/02/13/playstation-at-pax-east-play-the-last-of-us-part-ii-final-fantasy-vii-remake-more/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

miker525 · February 2020

Yeah I came here to post this as well. This is a pretty massive blow to PAX this year. Curious what they'll do with the new empty space considering how massive it is.

Bunta_Fujiwara · February 2020

This is already the weakest year for PAX for me between panels, presence and concerts, and this is just another nail in the coffin for me. I get why they are doing it, but man this sucks.

miker525 · February 2020

Yeah I couldn't agree more. I found everything to be pretty lacking this year. Which I think is partially due to the timing of the con this year but yeesh. For a con that was already fairly bleak compared to past years this is a pretty heavy blow.

Seafea · February 2020

Dang. Does this mean no playable Last of Us 2 demo?

MephistoN7 · February 2020

Seafea wrote: »

Dang. Does this mean no playable Last of Us 2 demo?

It sounds like Sony of America or Naughty Dog might be attempting something, but at this time no likely not.

I'm not too bothered, personally, as this wasn't on my radar of must dos. But I do agree it will be very interesting how they fill a 3 booth gap at the show entrance.

Unless Nintendo rents it for the Animal Crossing queue.

Sleep · February 2020

MephistoN7 wrote: »

Seafea wrote: »

Dang. Does this mean no playable Last of Us 2 demo?

It sounds like Sony of America or Naughty Dog might be attempting something, but at this time no likely not.

I'm not too bothered, personally, as this wasn't on my radar of must dos. But I do agree it will be very interesting how they fill a 3 booth gap at the show entrance.

Unless Nintendo rents it for the Animal Crossing queue.

Give it to indies

TopherRocks · February 2020

Ugh. My hype

Sepioth · February 2020

https://www.boston25news.com/news/sony-pulls-out-pax-east-amid-coronavirus-concerns/OF2LERDEUJCJHDXHURKYZNTDCQ/

Zython · February 2020

Wonder what they were planning on bringing this year. Need to know how disappointed I should be.

Sepioth · February 2020

Zython wrote: »

Wonder what they were planning on bringing this year. Need to know how disappointed I should be.

From OP link
"Want to play The Last of Us Part II? You can! Just stop by booth #10047 to be among the first to go hands-on with Naughty Dog’s masterpiece in the making. You can also experience MediaMolecule’s Dreams at booth #18003, then you can find us at booths #14047 and #12047 to experience other upcoming must-play titles like Marvel’s Iron Man VR, Nioh 2, Doom Eternal, Spelunky 2, and more."

silentFIGURE · February 2020

Sepioth wrote: »

Zython wrote: »

Wonder what they were planning on bringing this year. Need to know how disappointed I should be.

From OP link
"Want to play The Last of Us Part II? You can! Just stop by booth #10047 to be among the first to go hands-on with Naughty Dog’s masterpiece in the making. You can also experience MediaMolecule’s Dreams at booth #18003, then you can find us at booths #14047 and #12047 to experience other upcoming must-play titles like Marvel’s Iron Man VR, Nioh 2, Doom Eternal, Spelunky 2, and more."

No Last of Us 2... Sony cut me deep

Zython · February 2020

Sepioth wrote: »

Zython wrote: »

Wonder what they were planning on bringing this year. Need to know how disappointed I should be.

From OP link
"Want to play The Last of Us Part II? You can! Just stop by booth #10047 to be among the first to go hands-on with Naughty Dog’s masterpiece in the making. You can also experience MediaMolecule’s Dreams at booth #18003, then you can find us at booths #14047 and #12047 to experience other upcoming must-play titles like Marvel’s Iron Man VR, Nioh 2, Doom Eternal, Spelunky 2, and more."

The lack of Ghost of Tsushima there makes me feel a little better about this.

Sepioth · February 2020

PAX has released a new Expo map with the Sony space removed and the nearby vendors just shuffled around a bit. Opening up the area a bit.

I would have moved some of the vendors from the left of Indie Megabooth like Pax Rising and Tinybuild over to area where Sony was and opened up a bit on the Indie Megabooth area.

Old Map

New Map

miker525 · February 2020

Am I blind or did THQ Nordic pull out of the convention as well? Can't find them on the new map. Don't think they have much coming out soon for me personally but still kinda bizarre.

ilta · February 2020

miker525 wrote: »

Am I blind or did THQ Nordic pull out of the convention as well? Can't find them on the new map. Don't think they have much coming out soon for me personally but still kinda bizarre.

Easy to lose them since they moved, but they're now at the foot of the escalator. Just across the way from Nintendo.

revengeanceful · February 2020

I'm honestly pretty happy with the new map layout. Should make it feel quite a bit less congested, especially on Saturday when the floor is typically jammed with people.

Sepioth · February 2020

Mayor of Boston is asking Sony to reconsider pulling out of PAX.

https://www.wcvb.com/article/boston-mayor-marty-walsh-formally-asks-sony-to-reconsider-pulling-out-of-pax-east-gaming-showcase/31057117

silentFIGURE · February 2020

Sepioth wrote: »

Mayor of Boston is asking Sony to reconsider pulling out of PAX.

https://www.wcvb.com/article/boston-mayor-marty-walsh-formally-asks-sony-to-reconsider-pulling-out-of-pax-east-gaming-showcase/31057117

very interesting, I hope Sony will at least respond to him, I’d like to know what they have to say about his letter. I’m sure they’ll stick with their decision, especially if they feel it’s best for their team, but the mayor does have some valid points.

DeathJest3r · February 2020

silentFIGURE wrote: »

very interesting, I hope Sony will at least respond to him, I’d like to know what they have to say about his letter. I’m sure they’ll stick with their decision, especially if they feel it’s best for their team, but the mayor does have some valid points.

Unfortunately by making a point of how safe it is to visit Boston and that everything domestically is under control he completely misses the point that they are still in outbreak status in Japan and even this morning a bunch of new cases popped up in Italy. I doubt Sony and the other Japanese devs are scared of catching COVID in Boston, they are terrified of bringing it over from Japan and infecting the rest of their global employees.

Xenigma · February 2020

DeathJest3r wrote: »

Unfortunately by making a point of how safe it is to visit Boston and that everything domestically is under control he completely misses the point that they are still in outbreak status in Japan and even this morning a bunch of new cases popped up in Italy. I doubt Sony and the other Japanese devs are scared of catching COVID in Boston, they are terrified of bringing it over from Japan and infecting the rest of their global employees.

This is almost certainly the case, and certainly appears to be why Square Enix is no longer sending any FFXIV developers. I wish Sony would say as much because I have to imagine that is the more accurate version of the story, not to mention one more understandable then what their actual press release stated.

Satoru · February 2020

Oddly SE still has their booth

They moved Deep Silver to the front of the escalators where I finally got to see Wasteland3

Sepioth · February 2020

Yeah SE is there they did not completely cancel. They just did not send out there Japan Dev team

MephistoN7 · February 2020

Sleep wrote: »

Give it to indies

They have the other 85% of the Expo Hall, don't worry.

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Sony Backs out of PAX Due to Coronavirus

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