The story I heard, somebody correct me please, is that while Summer's Gone GAME development was not started by Ocean, the story was still written by him, and it was the production of the game that somebody else started, eventually "returning it" to Ocean for reasons I don't know.
I think the reason why is easier to get attached to SG that WIAB is the moment the stories start. In WIAB you start in the middle of a conflict potentially unrelated to you and you just get involved by your sister. Then, without any hint whatsoever, the story changes and, for reasons still unknown, you are the main guy receiving the fire.
Meanwhile, SG starts with a broken protagonists and things that happen, which are still kind of unrelated to him, are more easily interpreted as MC trying to get a grasp on his life, by interacting with others.
My guess is that with the rework a lot of what is going on with WIAB MC will feel more similar to SG MC. A kind of broken guy, trying to cope with his past, that is once again under fire.
The very big question is how are the stories related. I am still hoping for a situation that totally shifts our perception of characters and event. Maybe even old friends becoming enemies and things like that.