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PlayStation State of Play, January 2024: How to watch and what to expect

Tomas Franzese
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Key art for January 2024's State of Play.
Sony Interactive Entertainment

Sony announced its first State of Play of 2024 today. This digital showcase, which will take place on January 31, will set expectations for PlayStation’s 2024, much like Xbox’s Developer_Direct did for Sony a couple of weeks back. It’s shaping up to be a lengthier show full of intriguing exclusives, so it’s something that PlayStation fans will definitely want to tune into.

For those wondering when and where they should be tuning into the first State of Play of 2024, as well as what they should be expecting from it, we’ve rounded up all that useful information for you.

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When is January 2024’s State of Play?

The first State of Play of 2024 will begin at 2 p.m. PT on January 31. When it comes to length, Sony says that it will be “over 40 minutes long.”

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How to watch January 2024’s State of Play

State of Play | January 31, 2024

As is typically the case with State of Play presentations, Sony will stream it live over all its official PlayStation accounts. More specifically, you can tune into this State of Play on PlayStation’s YouTube, Twitch, and TikTok channels. We’ve embedded the YouTube stream above, so you can watch the State of Play right from this article.

What to expect from January 2024’s State of Play

Eve kneeling with her sword.
Sony Interactive Entertainment

“The broadcast will be over 40 minutes long, and feature guest appearances from some of the most talented minds in gaming. Among many other updates, we’ll feature extended looks at Stellar Blade and Rise of the Ronin, two great games coming to PS5 this year. And we’ll give you a new look at other titles coming to PS5 and PS VR2 in 2024 and beyond,” Sony’s official description of the event on the PlayStation Blog states.

Stellar Blade and Rise of the Ronin are two high-profile exclusives coming to PlayStation, so it makes sense for them to get the spotlight here. Expect Sony to set the stage for its wider 2024 lineup at the show. If you put any credence into leaks, games like Death Stranding 2, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Concord, the Silent Hill 2 remake, Judas, and more are rumored to appear.

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Tomas Franzese
Tomas Franzese
Gaming Staff Writer
Tomas Franzese is a Staff Writer at Digital Trends, where he reports on and reviews the latest releases and exciting…
State of Play September 2023: How to watch and what to expect
Key art for the September 2023 State of Play.

There's more than one major gaming showcase to look forward to tomorrow. Sony has announced that it will be holding another State of Play presentation on September 14, just hours after Nintendo holds its third Direct of the year. While Sony says the focus will mainly be on third-party games, exclusives like Marvel's Spider-Man 2 are also right on the horizon, which should make any new PlayStation 5-related showcase exciting for Sony fans. This State of Play will air live, so if you're wondering when and where to tune in, as well as everything that you should expect from the show, we've rounded up all that information here for you. 

When is the September 2023 State of Play
The September 2023 State of Play begins at 2 p.m. PT on September 14. Sony has not stated how long the showcase will be, but in the past, they've ranged from 20 to 40 minutes.
Where to watch the September 2023 State of Play
State of Play | September 14, 2023
Sony has confirmed that it will stream the September 2023 State of Play across its official YouTube, Twitch, and TikTok channels. The YouTube premier is already set up, and we've embedded it above so you can watch the State of Play right from this page.
What to expect from the September 2023 State of Play
In terms of what to expect from the show, Sony gave the following description: "This State of Play broadcast will focus on updates to previously announced games coming to PlayStation consoles. From indie and [PlayStation VR2] highlights  to major upcoming titles from our third-party partners, our latest show has something for everyone." 
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Astro's Playroom booting up on the PlayStation Portal.

Sony has unveiled the price for its upcoming cloud gaming handheld, as well as an official name for the device: PlayStation Portal. However, one significant caveat to its functionality might sour people's interest in the handheld: It only supports PS4 and PS5 native games that the owner purchased.
PlayStation VR2 games can't be streamed to PlayStation Portal, which does make sense. More bafflingly, though, is the fact that the PlayStation Blog post states that "games that are streamed through PlayStation Plus Premium’s cloud streaming are not supported." That means you shouldn't pick up PlayStation Portal expecting to stream some PS3 and PS4 games available through PlayStation Plus Premium to the device. That's certainly an odd omission when it's currently PlayStation's most notable cloud gaming effort.
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A PS5 stands on a table.

It's at around this point in a console's life cycle that companies like to release a new, slim model to reinvigorate sales, cut costs, and experiment with a new design. Sony has been trimming down its home consoles since the PS2, with each home console getting a slimmer, sometimes cheaper replacement a few years after launch. We're closing in on the PlayStation 5's third birthday and rumors abound about both a PS5 Pro and a PS5 Slim model, and yet Sony's remained tight-lipped about any iterations on the base unit. Still, some of these rumors and potential leaks may hold some weight and are fun to follow regardless to see how accurate they end up being.
Will there be a PS5 Slim? Here's what we know
Before getting into the rumors and leaks, know that until Sony itself confirms the existence of a PS5 Slim, everything that follows is speculative and should be taken as such.

The first rumors of a new PS5 model centered around a diskless version that could be paired with a detachable disk drive you could buy separately in another step away from physical media. This was speculated to be coming out sometime in fall 2023, but has been rolled into the idea of the PS5 Slim. This potentially imminent release date also lines up with statements Microsoft made about a new PS5 Slim releasing this year for $400 during the Federal Trace Commission (FTC) hearing.

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