State of Play June 2025 Recap: A Showcase Full of Surprises, Frustrations, and a Hint of Hope
Sony’s June 2025 State of Play came and went in a dense 55-minute presentation that packed in a wide range of titles. Whether it wowed you or left you wondering what happened to the good old days of bold first-party innovation, there’s no denying this showcase had plenty to dissect.
The event leaned heavily into third-person narrative-driven experiences, continuing a trend that many gamers have noticed over the past few years. While this shift away from first-person shooters might not thrill everyone, it’s also created space for more stylistic diversity and storytelling depth, even if the showcase didn’t exactly push boundaries across the board.
Here’s a breakdown of what was revealed:
- Silent Hill f – The long-awaited psychological horror returns on September 25, 2025.
- Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles – A fan-favorite reborn, arriving September 30, 2025.
- Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater – Hits August 28, 2025, but for many, the original PS2 disc still reigns supreme.
- Nioh 3 – Team Ninja’s next big slash hits early 2026.
- Everybody’s Golf: Hot Shot – A surprise return on September 5, 2025, for casual sports fans.
- Ghost of Yotei – Coming this July from Sucker Punch, but already facing skepticism over its themes.
- 007: First Light – Bond returns in 2026 with a new playable agent and platform flexibility.
Among the rest were intriguing indies like Carin and Hirogami, a return to pixel roots with Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement, and a divisive Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection which sparked nostalgia for some and indifference in others.
Still, many fans were left unimpressed. For some, this wasn’t the bold, ambitious Sony they once knew – more like a curated set of ‘safe’ bets with familiar mechanics and little genre experimentation. Others found gems in the lineup, grateful that at least some titles like Astro Bot and Baby Steps leaned into creativity over spectacle.
There’s also the growing sentiment that PlayStation’s identity has shifted – no longer a symbol of risk-taking Japanese development, but a more globalized, westernized brand trying to please everyone and exciting no one.
Regardless of where you stand, this State of Play did something important: it sparked conversation. And in a world of increasingly algorithm-driven content and homogenized AAA development, that might be worth something.