Sony to skip CES for first time in 60-year history
After nearly 60 years of never missing a show, Sony will sit out CES.
The technology and entertainment group will skip CES 2027, scheduled for 6-9 January in Las Vegas. It will be the company's first absence since the show began in 1967, GameSpot.
Sony confirmed the decision to Bloomberg, saying it followed a strategic evaluation of its approach to "events and communications based on the needs and priorities of our diverse business." The statement was reported on 28 September 2026, more than three months before the Las Vegas opening.
The company said it is putting greater focus on entertainment, naming games, anime, films and music. That description covers the content-led side of Sony's portfolio, from PlayStation, its video games business built around consoles and software, to its film studios, music labels and anime businesses.
The withdrawal was reported after Sony dropped its electric vehicle venture with Honda, Bloomberg. Cars developed under that joint effort had featured in Sony's recent CES presentations alongside televisions, cameras and audio products.
For regular CES watchers, this means a familiar name missing from the floor and from the week of press conferences. Sony had attended every edition since the show's debut.
CES, the annual showcase for consumer technology, started small. The first CES opened on 25-28 June 1967 in New York City. It occupied more than 100,000 sq. ft., with more than 100 exhibitors and 17,000 attendees, according to the show's official history, CES.
Las Vegas became the permanent home of the show from the Winter CES in January 1978. By 1998, the event had consolidated into one annual show held exclusively in Las Vegas.
What makes this stand out is the length of the run. Sixty years without a miss is rare for any exhibitor.
The 2027 edition, the one Sony will miss, will be the show's 60th anniversary. The organisers say the modern CES draws more than 148,000 attendees and more than 4,100 exhibitors from across the globe. Sony has not detailed which events, if any, will replace its CES presence for its different businesses.
