The PlayStation 4 was home to some of Sony Interactive Entertainment's finest output yet. Sony is only second to Nintendo in crafting some of the most iconic worlds, characters, stories and gameplay moments in the industry, and PS4 continued that trend with hit games like Uncharted 4, God of War (2018), Spider-Man, Death Stranding, Horizon: Zero Dawn, Dreams, Until Dawn, Bloodborne, Concrete Genie, Astro Bot Rescue Mission, and upcoming titles like Ghosts of Tsushima. That said, Sony has also built up a sort of stigma surrounding SIE and its games. Many claim that most of the PS4's first party lineup consists of overbudget realistic, cinematic, third person action-adventure spectacles staring "Sad Dads".
While that is an exaggerated take, It does feel like we've seen an increased focus on these games in the last few years, and not enough of the variety that filled the days of the PS1, PS2, PS3, PSP, or even the earlier half of the PS4, so it's not like Sony was helping that image, hence memes like the "PlayStation Exclusive Template". PlayStation has always been known for cinematic games, even going all the way back to the original PlayStation, but many felt it was a bit too much on the PS4.
But Sony is seemingly hoping to change that with PlayStation 5, and its new "PlayStation Studios" publishing label. During its PS5 reveal broadcast, Sony showcased a number of first party PlayStation games, several of which were a bit of a departure from most of the games Sony has been putting out recently. Not only are we getting a new Ratchet & Clank entry for the first time in several years, but they also showed a 3D Little Big Planet Spin-off "Sackboy: A Big Adventure", a big new multiplayer IP "Destruction Allstars", a pack-in title "Astro's PlayRoom", and a remake of the PS3 cult hit "Demon's Souls". Of course, the trademark PlayStation style wasn't gone either, with trailers for new Spider Man and Horizon Games, as well as Housemarque's first AAA game "Returnal".
It does feel like Sony, Specifically newly appointed Worldwide Studios President, Herman Hulst, does want to try and shed that image it built up in the PS4, and show that PlayStation is more than capable of offering a large and varied lineup of games.
