Kena: Scars of Kosmora Missing State of Play Has Fans Watching Summer Game Fest Closely

The game’s no-show at PlayStation’s newest showcase has brought fresh discussion about how it will launch, but maybe a delay isn’t such a disappointing thing.

If you were hoping to see Kena: Scars of Kosmora in PlayStation’s latest State of Play, you weren’t alone. The upcoming title appeared during a previous showcase, is closely associated with PlayStation, and is still believed to be targeting a fall release window. For that reason, its absence stood out more than many other games that did not show. 

Rather than treating the missed appearance as a sign of trouble, it may simply be a matter of timing. Additional development time for the game is not necessarily bad news. Many players would probably want a polished release over a rushed launch with an aggressive schedule.

The current release calendar is already crowded, especially in September, where a host of publishers seem to be positioning their games away from Grand Theft Auto and creating competition among each other. In that context, a later launch could actually work in the game's favor. 

You can already see how much pressure GTA continues to place on the industry. 

Studios seem increasingly reluctant to launch anywhere near Rockstar's next release, even if it means sharing a release window with several other major titles. As a result, September has become one of the busiest periods on the calendar. For a game like Kena: Scars of Kosmora launching during a less crowded period may ultimately provide more room to stand out. 

The biggest remaining opportunity for the game to reappear is Summer Game Fest. A PlayStation-connected title showing up during Geoff Keighley's event would not be unusual at all. Over the years, Summer Game Fest and The Game Awards have regularly featured PlayStation announcements alongside projects from XBOX and other publishers. 

PlayStation often contributes one or two notable reveals, making Kena a logical candidate for this year's presentation. If anything, the absence at State of Play makes the possibility of Sony holding onto the game for another stage feel that much more real. That remains a possibility.

Even with concerns about its absence from State of Play, there is still plenty of enthusiasm surrounding the project. Much of that excitement comes from the success of Kena: Bridge of Spirits, which remains one of the more memorable action-adventure releases of recent years. 

While it was not a flawless game, it earned praise for delivering a strong debut effort from its development team. That reputation has naturally created high expectations for whatever comes next. As a result, many players have been closely following the development of the sequel and are eagerly waiting to see how the studio builds on the foundation set by its first game.

At the same time, there is a growing feeling that Summer Game Fest may serve as an important checkpoint for the game's release plans. Should Kena: Scars of Kosmora show up there with a release date, worries about a delay will probably vanish. If it does, however, speculation about a schedule change will probably become much more prominent. 

After Summer Game Fest, the next major opportunities would be events such as Gamescom, Tokyo Game Show, or another State of Play later in the year. The challenge is that those showcases occur much closer to the end of the fall release window. Revealing a release date during late August or September would leave very little time before launch. 

There is also little reason to believe the developers would simply reveal everything through a random social media announcement. 

The game has largely appeared in major showcases, making another event appearance seem far more likely. Whether that happens through PlayStation or Summer Game Fest remains the biggest unknown. For now, Summer Game Fest appears to be the most realistic option. 

The situation becomes even more interesting when looking at what PlayStation could potentially bring to the event. Many anticipated projects already received attention during the recent State of Play. While surprise announcements are always possible, titles such as Kena: Scars of Kosmora fit naturally into the showcase because they are already known projects that appear to be approaching release. In many ways, it feels like an ideal match for the event. 

That does not mean a delay should automatically be viewed as negative. More development time would be a better idea, given that the alternative is a launch in one of the most crowded release periods in recent memory. And a few extra months also provides the game a better chance to make a splash without having to contend with a busy schedule of big-name releases.

Moving the game to early 2026 would also help it avoid direct competition with many major releases and provide the developers more time to polish the experience. Many players would likely be willing to make that tradeoff if it means a better end result. 

There have also been recent examples of announcing delays in different ways. Some studios have attached new trailers to updates about their release schedules, and some have just issued simple statements on social media. If Kena: Scars of Kosmora ultimately slips beyond its expected launch window, communicating that decision would be relatively simple. 

For now, the game's absence from State of Play remains more of a question mark than a warning sign. Summer Game Fest could quickly address those concerns with a new trailer, release date, or gameplay reveal. Until then, the possibility of a delay remains on the table, but so does the possibility that everything is still proceeding according to plan