To some extend yeah, I do feel the GaaS stuff might've derailed some project timelines internally. But I also feel that changes were probably implemented in the middle of last year, shortly after that May showcase. However, if anything was thrown off, it'd take time to get everything back into place.
Thankfully Sony/SIE have a lot of 2P projects going on, including through branches like XDEV, and they very likely have marketing rights to upcoming massive games like GTA6. I think they'll be fine for this year and the next, and by 2026 all internal 1P operations would be fully back on track without GaaS distraction derails (outside of whatever specific studios are specializing in that, which would be the new ones like Haven and Deviation).
I do agree that it'd be a smart move if SIE got back to making more internal AA games, though. Especially if they've adjusted the PC port strategy (hopefully, with at least 2x longer windows between versions, or just saving PC for GaaS and ports/remasters of very old/legacy games or the occasional remake of an old game that could be Day 1); redirect that focus to more 1P AA software, or a mix of that and co-development of more 3P AA/AAA exclusives.
Good point. There was a lot of Japan & Asian presence in the SOP, and some stuff feeling like natural evolutions of the kind of less mainstream/cult cuts that we regularly got in the 6th and 7th gens, like with Stellar Yams (Blade). Stuff that seems like it wants to be really cool games and okay with some weirdness in them.
Somehow that's gone over a lot of people's heads :/
