John Garvin, the former director of Days Gone, has voiced his support for Bend Studio following the cancellation of its live-service project. Despite leaving the studio in 2020 amid internal disagreements over a potential Days Gone sequel, Garvin showed empathy for the developers affected by the decision.
Bend Studio’s live-service game, which had been in development since the release of Days Gone in 2019, was recently canceled by PlayStation, along with a similar project from Bluepoint Games. While details about the game were scarce, leaks suggested it could have been a live-service military shooter.
Garvin took to Twitter to express his understanding, saying, “this is a time for empathy” for the affected staff. He acknowledged the difficulty of the situation, particularly for developers who might not have had a say in the cancellation.
In a separate thread, Garvin also addressed PlayStation fans’ dissatisfaction with live-service games, emphasizing that while the sentiment is understandable, it doesn’t make the situation easier for the developers. He hinted that Sony likely made the decision to cancel the game, rather than the studio itself.
PlayStation is now reportedly working closely with Bend Studio to determine the team’s next project, with a potential return to single-player games, such as the long-requested Days Gone sequel, looking increasingly likely. However, with AAA game development often taking years, fans may have to wait until the PS6 generation for any major announcements.
