So the story is 1000% true
Sony FP has the best pipeline and support system in the business to create big story-based games. Some people don't realize all of the support a publisher can give a developer, and that's true of every major publisher for every major game.
Marvel approached Sony, wanting them to do one of their characters right with a big first-party story game. They wanted to work with one of the developers Sony FP works with frequently, and even mentioned us by name to Sony as a developer who they felt particularly fit.
Sony approached us, we were interested (obv!), and they told us Marvel wanted us to pick which hero we most wanted to play with. We picked Spider-Man (obv!).
All real, all how it happened, no ties to any other deal or circumstance.