Days Gone is an unfortunate case of review scores being valued more than public opinion. Bend Studio had a great foundation for the perfect zombie open-world game but was pushed to the sidelines by Sony Interactive Entertainment leaving fans of the franchise heartbroken.
The directors of the original game, John Garvin and Jeff Ross, have been vocal about their dismay at how it all turned out but Garvin remained optimistic. The director is confident that the new heads of PlayStation will have a change of heart but the community manager snuffed out all hope.
Days Gone Community Manager Kills All Hope for the Sequel
Bend Studio got the short end of the stick when Sony mandated the studio to work on a new franchise but Garvin hopes the new heads: Herman Hulst and Hideaki Nishino will have a change of heart to greenlight a sequel to Days Gone. Unfortunately, Garvin and Ross left the studio a few years ago, and the community manager set the record straight of what the gaming community can expect with what the studio is working up to.
I apologize to our Days Gone community for continuously getting fed false hope and poor information by people looking for likes. It’s not fair to you all.
— Kevin McAllister (@vikingdad278) June 27, 2024
We are currently working on a new IP, and when we have actual news to share it will come from our studio.
It is unsurprising since Ross mentioned that Hulst was never a fan of the game and did not get the needed support. Unlike other major first-party games of the PlayStation pantheon, it seems like this post-apocalyptic game was swept under the rug and the company heads prioritized other franchises instead of it.
The community manager did confirm that the studio is working on a new IP which was said to have an insane budget. Sony gave the developers a quarter of a billion dollars to pursue something fresh rather than dive back in and perfect what the gaming community already loved which will most likely be a huge mistake.
Bend Studio Should Have Been Allowed to Pursue Days Gone 2
The original game was far from perfect but it had potential and this could be the downfall of Sony. The company’s lack of vision and way of thinking is counterproductive and the PC port was well-received and some fans managed to make the game look even better through ray-tracing which only increased the demand for a PlayStation 5 remaster and deserving of a sequel.
The technical drawbacks played a significant hand that caused several critics to attack the game at launch and many criticized the narrative. However, the consensus about it has been mostly positive from the fans. Perhaps if given the opportunity, Bend Studio would have applied everything they have learned and could have made the perfect sequel.
Director John Garvin kept throwing shade at Sony for stopping him and his project from seeing the light of day but would return in a heartbeat if asked and if the company could convince Ross to return with him. It is best to keep expectations low to avoid disappointment if Sony is dead-set on shutting the door on this beloved franchise.
Regardless, anything is possible and if Hulst had a sudden change of heart, Bend Studio could still make a sequel with the original directors. What are your thoughts about Days Gone? Let us know in the comments section below!
