PS5 event: Sony postpones new console reveal amid George Floyd protests

'For now, we want to stand back and allow more important voices to be heard'

People wander in front of the Playstation posters at the 24th Electronic Expo, or E3 2018, in Los Angeles, California (FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images)

Sony has postponed its PlayStation 5 event, where it was expected to reveal new details about the console, amid protests across the US.

The hour-long event had been scheduled for 4 June, but Sony said holding it would be inappropriate given the protests engulfing the country.

“While we understand gamers worldwide are excited to see PS5 games, we do not feel that right now is a time for celebration,” Sony wrote in a tweet.

“And for now, we want to stand back and allow more important voices to be heard.”

The event was largely expected to focus on the games that will arrive when the console is launched towards the end of this year.

"The games coming to PS5 represent the best in the industry from innovative studios that span the globe," PlayStation boss Jim Ryan said in the announcement. "Studios, both larger and smaller, those newer and those more established, all have been hard at work developing games that will showcase the potential of the hardware."

Mr Ryan had noted that the event would already be strange, given it was being held online amid lockdowns.

"A lack of physical events has given us an amazing opportunity to think differently and bring you on this journey with us, and hopefully, closer than ever before," Mr Ryan had written. "This is part of our series of PS5 updates and, rest assured, after next week’s showcase, we will still have much to share with you."

Sony is just the latest company to postpone a launch event amid the protests. It came shortly after Google announced it would delay its Android 11 reveal, for the same reason.