FF7's new entry closes the show, the Japan showcase returns, and Wolverine strikes in 12 days.
Tonight at 9 PM, don't rush off to sleep. Sony is going to air two State of Play presentations back to back, starting at 21:00 Beijing time. The first show's finale is an extended gameplay showcase of Square Enix's Final Fantasy VII: Revelation — SE has taken the center stage of the entire presentation.
First, the hard facts. On August 31, Sony officially announced that State of Play would return on September 3 with two back-to-back shows (source: IT Home). The first, the main showcase, reports the latest from PlayStation Studios and third-party partners, closing with an Extended Look at SE's Revelation; immediately after, without a break, comes a second Japan-focused show hosted by Yuki Kaji, spotlighting new titles from Japanese and Asian studios, with English subtitles (source: PlayStation official, Final Weapon).
Many people may not realize how heavy Revelation is. It's a new entry in the Final Fantasy VII universe, officially announced only earlier this year (source: That Park Place). According to foreign media reports, it's expected to launch in spring 2027 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2, and PC, all platforms simultaneously (source: Final Weapon). Note the words “all platforms”: in the era of the previous two entries, Remake and Rebirth, FF7 was still PlayStation's exclusive calling card; with Revelation, SE has simply dropped the pretense. Having just gone through the pain of layoffs, SE is betting everything on this one title, carrying an entire presentation with a single extended demo — that in itself is a gamble.
Second, look at the Japan showcase. Sony has carved out an entire show for new titles from Japanese and Asian studios, and the signal is clear: Japanese content is becoming PlayStation's breadbasket once again. Even more telling is the timing — starting at 21:00 Beijing time, 22:00 in Japan, and just 6 AM in North America. The schedule makes it plain who this presentation is for.
Third, there's the knife coming in 12 days. On September 15, Marvel's Wolverine launches as a PS5 exclusive, developed by Insomniac Games (source: IT Home). First revealed in 2021, the game has been in the oven for nearly five years; Liam McIntyre provides the voice, with classic characters like Mystique and Omega Red appearing, and the official PlayStation Blog calls it a “global horror-adventure” (source: IT Home citing the PlayStation Blog). Why has Sony slotted Wolverine in on September 15? Look at the calendar and you'll understand: IGN China calls September a “battle royale” — GTA 6 is set for November 19, and the whole industry is sprinting to ship before it lands (source: IGN China). Wolverine is the standard-bearer for the PS5's second half, and it has to bank all the money it can before GTA 6 rolls over everything.
Deeper still, this is Sony “clearing out its inventory”: the hardware has already reached the back half of its lifecycle, with multiple rumors that the PS6 won't arrive until around 2027; last week it was besieged by players worldwide over “you don't own the games you buy” (source: Fortune). At this juncture, Sony doesn't need new concepts — it just needs to play its existing cards one by one: first-party, third-party, the Japan showcase, FF7, everything that can go on stage. A new God of War? Kingdom Hearts IV? There are plenty of rumors, but not a word from official channels — and that's exactly what itches the most.
Of course, expectations need to be tempered. “Extended Look” means an extended showcase, not a release-date event — Revelation won't arrive until spring 2027, more than half a year away. If Wolverine only gets a single trailer tonight, who knows how much patience players still have left after five years. And if the Japan showcase is all ports and crossover skins, the backlash will come faster than the praise.
My take: Sony now looks like a stall owner laying out the entire inventory, clearing stock while shouting “come take a look.” But for Chinese players, this might be the friendliest presentation of the year — it starts at 9 PM, no need to stay up all night, and you don't even have to wait for subtitles. I've already set my alarm.
Tonight at 9 PM, which show will you be glued to? Who do you most want to see in the main showcase? Drop their names in the Gghubs comments and see who guesses right.