The developers of Days Gone, Sony’s first-party studio, Sony Bend, have just seen a mass round of layoffs across its staff. The news comes after just two months of the Days Gone Remastered release. And the cancellation of a live-service game in development at Bend. This Gaming news has sent shockwaves across the community, with fans in confusion and despair. Let’s take a closer look at the situation at Bend Studio and the possibility of a Days Gone 2.
Bend Studio Layoffs and Project Cancellation
Recently, a report from Bloomberg indicated that over 30% of the staff at Bend Studio. Which accounts for 40+ employees, has been laid off. This series of events follows the recent cancellation of a live-service game from the studio reportedly in the works under Sony’s direction.
Bend Studio was working on a live-service project, which was in its early demo phase and was cancelled due to Sony’s shift in focus. For the last few years, Sony shifted the majority of its first-party studios into creating more multiplayer live-service games. Rather than new innovative single-play experiences. This strategy fell hard after the horrifying failure of Concord. A first-party Sony live-service title that lost around 200 Million Dollars for the giants.
Only just two months ago, Bend Studio released the remastered version of Days Gone. Which was released to positive reviews across the PlayStation 5 and PC Players. This sparked hope in many for a sequel, Days Gone 2.
Will we ever see Days Gone 2?
As of now, there’s no official confirmation. But if Sony reconsiders its focus and listens to the loyal fanbase calling for more rich, single-player experiences, there may still be hope left on the horizon. The Days Gone Remastered, while not a huge leap in terms of graphics and features, is still a great experience. Players who haven’t yet experienced the story of Deacon St. John can try their hand at the remastered version of Days Gone. While players on PC can download The Broken Road DLC for Days Gone.
Days Gone is currently available for the PlayStation 4 & 5, and the Days Gone Remastered is available for the PlayStation 5 and PC.
Summary
Sony’s Bend Studio, the developer behind Days Gone, laid off over 30% of its staff has sent shockwaves through the community. This comes just two months after the release of Days Gone Remastered, which reignited fan hopes for a sequel. With Sony reevaluating its live-service strategy after costly failures like Concord. The future of Days Gone 2 remains uncertain, but not entirely out of reach. Gaming Fans’ prayers are with the brilliant people at Bend Studios and are hoping for a speedy recovery of their workforce in the future. Bend Studio created a cult classic in the form of Days Gone. And their work will always be remembered in these tumultuous times of the gaming industry.
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