Days Gonedeveloper 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 forDays Gonehas 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 ofThe Last of Us OnlinetoTwisted Metalspin-offFiresprite, the company may be going back to the drawing board, especially after a recent loss. The failure ofConordwas 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. BothBluepoint 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 bringDays Gone 2to life.
With Bend Studio’s Future Unclear, Days Gone 2 May Be More Likely Than Ever
Originally launched in 2019,Days Gonehas garnered a cult following. While the initial reviews from critics were mixed, many gamers have hailedDays Goneas an underrated zombie gem that deserves a larger franchise. Hope for a sequel has persisted, despiteclaims from director Jeff Rossthat 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 ofDays 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 belaunched by 2026, and it’s likely that many of those were the now-canceled productions.
It now seems thatSony may be returning to its tried and true methodof strong single-player games, and if that’s the case,Days Gone 2may 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 hailedDays Goneas an underrated zombie gem that deserves a larger franchise.
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, andDays Gone’s Deacon St. John was one of them. Althoughthis upsetDays GoneCreative 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 forDays Gone 2will 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 ofDays Gone 2persist.
