You need a good story for a sequal. Days gone suffered from bland characters. Which didnt help the game at all.
Sony is strict on this. They want their games to be Hollywood type of story.
They can try them do something else. Maybe pick up one of the old IPs on Sony storage.
Sony Bend has a lot of potential working on AAA projects; I think Sony may believe they’re possibly a game from crafting a true masterpiece.
As far as being strict, YES Sony demands high production values, but not every game has to be delivered on the scale of “Uncharted 4” or “TLOU2”.
Look at Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart or Returnal from just this past year.
Both are filled with high-octane gameplay, with the traditional narrative taking more of a backseat to environmental storytelling (Returnal).
But a new experience is always welcomed and Sony seems to be trying to strike a balance between developing new IP, while retaining old IP by:
• Outsourcing/Funding projects from 3rd-party developers (or 2nd-party games).
• Acquiring those who specialize in remakes/remasters.
• Rebooting old or longstanding franchises with a forward-thinking perspective (ie: God of War 2018).