Yeah man. I like that we have named this trend finally. It's "The Jim Ryan Theory". Like any good theory it has high predictive and explanatory power
Ragnarok was disappointing for me as well. Slimy- as usual your explanation for why these games are not living up to expectations makes a ton of sense. Having tip talent spread thin. I bet it all relates back to The Jim Ryan Theory. Quantity and profit is the focus.
I know I sound all negative and doom and gloom but I can't think of anything Sony is doing for us console gamers that's been positive this gen. I was thrilled early on with Demon's Souls. Ratchet kept the hope alive (and I'm glad to know at least with Ratchet they did tap into ps5 a bit). Since Ratchet though it's been all negative trends, lies, cash grabs, etc.
Is there anything Sony's been doing that we can feel good about our purchase of PS5 aside from the obvious which is that there have been a fairly steady release of exclusives? I think these exclusives are all overshadowed by something disappointing attached to them. Last gen started a little slow but it felt like Sony actually cared.
I think sony is just going through those phases many publishers and studios go through. they were up for a while, now its their turn to crash and return to earth. they will hit rock bottom like they did in 2006 and come back with a vengeance. sports franchises do this all the time. i think success makes people complacent.
Sony will return. probably around 2025-2027. until then, its time to just move on and hope that third parties can pitch in. Honestly, aside from a weak 2006, sony has been fucking killing it. people think they flopped the ps3 era, but i loved their output in 2007, 2008, and 2009 before everyone started noticing their exclusive output. to me, they have been at the top for almost 15 years and now its time for others to shine.
Jim Ryan's 60% GaaS push might kill sony's consistent AAA output but i think these games will die fast or get cancelled. factions is basically cancelled. the other studio they contracted to make a GaaS game lost a bunch of people and is likely on life support. they probably saw the suicide squad reaction and might cancel insomniac's superhero gaas game. who knows that 60:40 split might just end up being the other way around by 2026 when everything they have built either gets cancelled or flops.
Here is their potential 2025-2027 lineup not including any GaaS trash.
2025
Death Stranding 2
Wolverine
Bluepoint's next remake
Astrobot 2
2026
Ghost of Tsushima 2
The Last of Us 3
Sony Bend's new IP
Media molecule's new IP
2027
Horizon 3
Housemarque new IP
Cory Barlog's new IP
Gran Turismo 8 - a true next gen game.
Even if 4 out of these 12 games get cancelled, thats still a pretty decent lineup for 3 years. Maybe in ten years, we will look back at 2021-2024 as an aberration. jim's gaas push is his, but the decision to make GT7 and Horizon 2 last gen came before he became CEO. And Cory himself decided to make Ragnorak last gen. had those 3 games been next gen only pushing boundries, we would not be having this discussion.