IGN Slams PlayStation's Formula Fatigue: Is Sony Stuck in a Rut?

An IGN op-ed on PlayStation's first-party formula has sparked debate, with many players agreeing that Sony's blockbuster template is feeling stale—though not everyone's convinced.

Remember when a new PlayStation exclusive felt like a genuine event? Lately, that excitement has been tinged with a nagging sense of déjà vu. And it seems IGN has noticed too.

A recent IGN opinion piece criticizing PlayStation's first-party output has been making the rounds, amplified by gaming blogger Pirat_Nation, who called it a must-read. The core argument? The design philosophy that once made PlayStation's prestige titles so special is starting to feel a little... predictable.

According to the discussion, Uncharted built a wildly successful 3A single-player template that Sony's studios have been refining—and reusing—ever since. We're talking cinematic cutscenes, third-person action, accessible combat, light RPG progression, stealth sections, open-zone exploration, and energy-based special abilities. Sound familiar? That's because you've seen it in multiple PlayStation games over the past few years.

Pirat_Nation pointed to Ghost of Yōtei, Marvel's Spider-Man 2, God of War Ragnarök, and Horizon Forbidden West as examples. Sure, they differ in setting, story, and specific mechanics, but structurally—from the third-person combat to the exploration loops to the overall presentation—there's a noticeable family resemblance.

Crucially, the criticism isn't that these games are bad. Far from it. The point is that what once felt fresh now feels familiar. During the PS4 era, Sony established a gold standard with Uncharted 4, God of War, Marvel's Spider-Man, and Horizon Zero Dawn. But in the PS5 generation, some sequels feel more like expansions of that framework than evolutions of it.

Plenty of players agree. They argue that while God of War Ragnarök, Spider-Man 2, Horizon Forbidden West, and Ghost of Yōtei all have distinct worlds and characters, their underlying structure is strikingly similar. These PS5 sequels polish the formula but rarely break it.

Of course, not everyone is buying the "PlayStation games all feel the same" narrative. Some fans quickly pointed to Death Stranding 2, Astro Bot, and Returnal as proof that Sony still takes risks. Others noted that Horizon's sci-fi open world plays nothing like God of War or Spider-Man, so lumping them together is a stretch.

So where do you stand? Are PlayStation's blockbusters getting too samey, or is the formula still working for you? Let us know in the comments.