Days Gone developer Bend Studio is now part of the continuously growing list of live-service Sony cancelations. The company's live-service aspirations haven't exactly gone according to plan. Now that the team responsible for Days Gone has had the plug pulled on its recent project, it's unclear what lies in the developer's future.
Sony has faced its fair share of live-service cancelations in recent years. From the loss of The Last of Us Online to Twisted Metal spin-off Firesprite, the company may be going back to the drawing board, especially after a recent loss. The failure of Conord was one of the biggest gaming stories of 2024, and while it has yet to be confirmed by Sony, this financial loss could have served as the catalyst for recent cancelations. Both Bluepoint Games and Bend Studio had their productions halted, and while this is bad news for those specific projects, this could ultimately pave the way for the latter to finally bring Days Gone 2 to life.
Days Gone Has One Feature Every Game Should Adopt
Though Days Gone certainly had its share of problems, one of its most easily missable features deserves to be borrowed by many other games.
With Bend Studio's Future Unclear, Days Gone 2 May Be More Likely Than Ever
Originally launched in 2019, Days Gone has garnered a cult following. While the initial reviews from critics were mixed, many gamers have hailed Days Gone as an underrated zombie gem that deserves a larger franchise. Hope for a sequel has persisted, despite claims from director Jeff Ross that Sony is uninterested in such a follow-up. However, the shake-ups that are clearly happening to Sony's once-stacked live-service release schedule could make room for the company to reconsider the project.
Bend Studio's live-service title was reportedly a military-themed shooter. Much of the project's details have not been revealed, but the developer has confirmed that the game was set to make use of Days Gone's open-world features.
The Argument For Days Gone 2 May Now Be Stronger Than Ever
Of course, there has yet to be confirmation from Bend Studio or Sony, but the cancelation of the former's multiplayer project suggests that the latter has clearly had a change of heart regarding live-service goals. At one point, there were around ten different live-service games in the works to be launched by 2026, and it's likely that many of those were the now-canceled productions.
It now seems that Sony may be returning to its tried and true method of strong single-player games, and if that's the case, Days Gone 2 may have a much better chance of happening. Moving forward, Sony might still ultimately decide that it isn't interested in another entry to the franchise, but all hope may not be lost just yet.
While the initial reviews from critics were mixed, many gamers have hailed Days Gone as an underrated zombie gem that deserves a larger franchise.
Days Gone Has Had a Presence in Recent Sony Marketing
Last year's critically acclaimed platformer Astro Bot was a celebration of PlayStation and its IP. The game was filled with a treasure trove of cameos, and Days Gone's Deacon St. John was one of them. Although this upset Days Gone Creative Director John Garvin, it could also show that Sony may have a newfound appreciation of the franchise. The direction of Bend Studio may be unclear at the moment, but community manager Kevin McAllister teased on X that "We still plan on creating cool sh*t." While vague, this at least signals that Bend Studio is taking the cancelation in stride.
Sony has now canceled eight live-service projects.
Hope for Days Gone 2 will likely never be off the table for hardcore fans. It's unfortunate that Bend Studio spent so much time and effort on a project that was ultimately canceled, but this apparent ending could simply be the beginning of something greater on the horizon. Only time will tell, but the dreams of Days Gone 2 persist.
Days Gone
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 72 /100 Critics Rec: 54%
- Released
- April 26, 2019
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Bend Studio
- Publisher(s)
- Sony
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 4
WHERE TO PLAY
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action, Adventure
- How Long To Beat
- 36 Hours
- PS Plus Availability
- Extra & Premium
- OpenCritic Rating
- Fair
