PlayStation's Narrative Formula: Is the 'Sad Dad' Trope Overdone?
Last Updated: November 1, 2025
A new flagship exclusive from a PlayStation first-party studio remains one of the most anticipated events in gaming. We've come to expect breathtaking visuals, immaculately polished gameplay, and a powerful, character-driven story that dominates the cultural conversation for months. Yet, as the PlayStation 5 generation has matured, a persistent sense of narrative déjà vu has settled in. Sony has undeniably perfected the art of the prestige, third-person action-adventure, but in doing so, has it become creatively cornered?
While the quality is rarely in question, the thematic well seems to be running dry, prompting a crucial question: Is PlayStation's celebrated narrative formula now its biggest creative risk?
The Gilded Cage: Perfecting the Prestige Blueprint
Across the PlayStation 4 and into the PlayStation 5 era, Sony Interactive Entertainment cultivated a specific brand of exclusive that became the industry's gold standard. Games like *The Last of Us*, *God of War (2018)*, *Horizon Zero Dawn*, and *Ghost of Tsushima* formed the pillars of this identity. Their sequels, *The Last of Us Part I* (remake), *Horizon Forbidden West*, and the universally acclaimed *God of War Ragnarök*, only served to solidify the blueprint.
This formula is defined by staggering production values, state-of-the-art performance capture that elicits award-winning acting, and meticulously crafted worlds. The gameplay is almost always a masterclass in refined third-person action, blending visceral combat with exploration and character progression. This approach has been a monumental success, delivering a torrent of critical acclaim, Game of the Year awards, and massive commercial sales. It gave PlayStation its modern identity: the definitive home for mature, cinematic storytelling. But as this formula has been reiterated and refined, its thematic boundaries have become increasingly apparent.
An Echo Chamber of Grief and Vengeance
The issue has never been the quality, which remains exceptionally high, but the thematic through-line connecting these disparate worlds. A significant portion of PlayStation's most celebrated narratives orbit the same gravitational center: a grim, incredibly capable protagonist, haunted by a tragic past, who undertakes a perilous journey fueled by either revenge or the protection of a younger, more vulnerable ward.
Look at the evidence. Joel Miller, a grieving father, rediscovers purpose protecting Ellie in a post-apocalyptic world. Kratos, a god who massacred his family and pantheon, grapples with his violent rage to become a better father to Atreus. Jin Sakai's entire quest in *Ghost of Tsushima* is a bloody path of vengeance against an invading force that destroyed his world and captured his uncle. Aloy, an outcast, is fundamentally driven by the mysteries of her parentage and the loss of her father figure, Rost.
These foundational stories were powerful, but their direct sequels have largely continued to explore the same emotional territory. *God of War Ragnarök* is a magnificent, heart-wrenching evolution of the father-son dynamic, but it's still a story about processing grief and breaking cycles of violence. *Horizon Forbidden West* doubles down on Aloy's burden as a savior haunted by the ghosts of the past. Even the brilliant *Marvel's Spider-Man 2* centers its narrative on themes of loss, mentorship gone wrong, and the struggle against inner darkness. In isolation, each is a triumph. As a portfolio, the pattern is unmistakable: these are overwhelmingly somber, violent tales about trauma.
The Pivot: A Solution in Search of a Problem?
For a time, the primary risk of this thematic repetition was creative stagnation. It established an expectation that a "serious" PlayStation game must be a somber affair, inadvertently sidelining other powerful forms of storytelling. Where were the grand-scale adventures driven by optimism? The sharp comedies or intricate political thrillers?
Recently, however, Sony's strategy has shifted dramatically, suggesting an awareness of this problem but proposing a controversial solution. Instead of diversifying its single-player narrative genres, the company initiated a massive pivot towards live service games, underscored by the $3.6 billion acquisition of Bungie, the creators of *Destiny*. This new direction promised a future filled with ongoing, multiplayer-focused experiences like *Concord* and *Fairgame$*.
This move, intended to broaden the portfolio, has instead created a new anxiety. It appeared Sony was solving the "narrative formula" problem not by commissioning new types of stories, but by de-prioritizing them in favor of a different business model. The subsequent turbulence—including the high-profile cancellation of *The Last of Us*'s ambitious multiplayer project and a reported scaling-back of the broader live service initiative—suggests this pivot has been far from smooth, potentially alienating the very audience that revered the prestige single-player titles.
A Broader Horizon Is Still Possible
Fortunately, PlayStation's output proves that thrilling, high-quality experiences can and do exist outside the established formula. The joyful platforming of *Astro's Playroom* was a pack-in masterpiece. *Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart* delivered a vibrant, hilarious, and genuinely heartfelt adventure that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with any of the grittier epics. And Housemarque's *Returnal* offered a profoundly different flavor of psychological depth, weaving its narrative of trauma and perseverance into a challenging, atmospheric roguelike structure.
More recently, second-party exclusives like *Stellar Blade* have demonstrated a massive appetite for polished, complete, single-player action games that don't rely on the familiar "sad dad" trope. These titles are not just exceptions; they are proof of concept. They show that Sony's ecosystem can support a wider spectrum of tones and genres at the highest level.
The formula that gave us Joel, Kratos, and Jin is not broken, but its narrative potential has been thoroughly and magnificently explored. As we look to the future of PlayStation, the path forward shouldn't be a jarring shift to an entirely different business model, but a confident investment in creative diversity. The world-class studios under the PlayStation banner—Naughty Dog, Sucker Punch, Insomniac, Santa Monica Studio—have proven their mastery of cinematic storytelling. It's time to empower them to tell new kinds of stories. Let's have tales of rebuilding, of joyous discovery, of intellectual challenge, and of pure, unadulterated fun. The grieving fathers have told their incredible stories; it’s time to see who else is waiting for a turn in the spotlight.