Sony dropped some news today, confirming that it is dropping out of CES 2027, the big tech trade show that is coming in January in Las Vegas. Bloomberg reported that Sony’s shift from tech to entertainment is to blame.
The news is a shock as Sony has been an anchor of CES — once called the Consumer Electronics Show — for decades. I’ve been going to the Sony press event on the show floor at CES for years and fondly remember a performance from a not-as-famous Taylor Swift singing Romeo and Juliet at CES in 2010.
I suppose we could have predicted this after Sony and Honda decided earlier this year not to launch the Afeela electric car that had been years in the works.
“We continuously and strategically evaluate our approach to events and communications based on the needs and priorities of our diverse business,” Sony told Bloomberg in a statement. The CTA, which puts on CES, did not respond to a request for comment.
“Sony has had one of the largest exhibits at CES for decades,” said Tim Bajarin, an analyst and founder of Creative Strategies. “But Sony is in the midst of diversifying. The firm sees its future in entertainment and is dividing its attention between movies, music, and, games. Also Sony has upped its investments in anime, and it’s come down to where they place their money on more focused events.”