R&D is all things concerned with creation of game on new platform. It means their programmers needs to addopt new tech and learn new platform, their 3D artists needs to step up game, Sound tech also needs bump and so on.
For example GG changed completely how their engine handles textures and shaders so artists needed ton of time to get accustomed to that new way of doing things.
It doesn't mean FROM is on way of creating best looking game but changing for entirely new platform has downsides in therm of increased cost of developement.
We already know two games that are created in collaboration with Sony Japan. Deep Down and FROMs new game. Collaborations like that are created to share R&D so their developers can work faster on a game and company doesn't need to spend money learning new platform much.
They've already done this shit. The only thing they need is to port their new engine to the PS4, which is likely already done. If fucking indies manage to release on the PS4 without a hassle, or Flying Wild Hog with Shadow Warrior (to give an example of a 3D game with decent production values), then I'm sure From don't need Sony's exclusive expertise to do it. They're not making a graphics-showcase game on an exotic and unusual architecture, like Uncharted.
As of why they didn't pitch it to Namco.
Most of people think that selling more coppies = more money to developers. Reality is that that doesn't mean anything. What matter is their deal with money holder. If they can fund game themselves they can make ton of money on it due to shit ton of royalties money.
Now if you don't have the money like Obsidian. You are mercenary and you just are paid for game developement but you get nill from game sales (putting betsheda metacritic shit aside).
So if Sony proposed them good deal in therm of money, offered people to ease developement on new platform, they will hype them game and they will do marketing... suddenly exlusive title like that may be more profitable than for example their previous game.
Thanks, but I do know how the game publishing business operates (or at least about as much as an outsider can know from publically available info). Relative to the industry norm, From's position with Dark Souls is very strong. They own the IP (so they can conceivably shop it around to different publishers and negotiate better terms), they have their own sizable market segment with little competition, they have the resources to publish the games on their own in Japan. The only thing they need Namco for is the international release, and presumably for part of the funding. We don't really know much of the money Namco provided, but I'd definitely expect From to supply some of their own as well, which puts them in a position not unlike CDPR with Witcher games.
Point is, this is a strong position to be in, the Japanese profits are theirs alone, and they definitely get a much bigger cut of international sales than is usual for developer/publisher deals.
Honestly, main reason I can think of for Bloodborne not to be multiplatform is that Namco would've wanted it to release on last-gen as well.
We don't know the deal. What we know is that they are doing it which means deal was good for them.
Or they're stupid, or they agreed to this back when their situation was much worse, and now have to follow through. Really, with the newly released info, this seems like Demon's Souls Redux, which From were dissatisfied with.
I also don't like FROM creating exclusive because it will mean shitty 30FPS to play.
Maybe it'll be 60? Dark Souls 2 runs very well on shitty hardware, it's likely the same engine, and the PS4 is a pretty decent midrange setup. At the very least, it shouldn't have any of the painful performance problems Souls games suffered from on consoles.
FYI, most of my analysis assumed that this was supposed to be a Souls game in everything but name, which doesn't seem to be the case. There's no multiplayer (announced thus far), the mood is very different, and combat will apparently feature ranged weapons prominently. That makes a bit more sense, but I'm still surprised they let Sony keep the IP. I'll laugh so hard if there's going to be a multiplatform spiritual successor to this game.