Days Gone maker Bend Studio has been hit by layoffs. Roughly a 3rd of the first-party PlayStation group was minimize following the current cancelation of an unannounced reside service undertaking, however Sony confirmed the studio is engaged on a brand new undertaking now and it stays “assured in its future and inventive path.”
“Earlier this 12 months, Bend Studio wrapped growth on a reside service idea. After cautious consideration, we selected to not transfer ahead with it,” a spokesperson for Sony confirmed to My metropolis in an e mail. “Because the group shifts focus to its subsequent undertaking, we’ve made strategic adjustments to raised place the studio for long-term success. As a part of this transition, a workforce discount has taken place on the studio. This resolution was not made calmly, and we’re extraordinarily grateful for the significant contributions of all these impacted. Bend Studio has been a valued a part of PlayStation Studios for many years, and we stay assured in its future and inventive path.”
About 40 builders on the Oregon-based studio have been laid at the moment, as first reported by Bloomberg. The undertaking they have been beforehand engaged on was canceled earlier this 12 months amid a purge of some inner reside service tasks, together with a web-based God of Conflict spin-off at Bluepoint Video games. “Bend Studio laid off a bunch of individuals at the moment,” senior animator Robert Morrison posted on X. “I used to be part of the layoffs. I did my finest. Hopefully I can discover a new group to affix.”
Finest recognized for the Syphon Filter espionage video games within the PS1 and PS2 eras, Bend Studio later moved on to growing handheld ports of first-party franchises like Resistance and Uncharted earlier than finally making 2019’s open world zombie blockbuster Days Gone. The sport didn’t assessment as extremely as some PlayStation exclusives however nonetheless offered nicely.
Whereas followers pined for a sequel, the studio hasn’t launched a recreation since. Days Gone acquired a PS5 model earlier this 12 months however has in any other case laid dormant as Bend Studio reportedly labored on a brand new reside service IP. Leaked photographs made it seem just like the now canceled recreation was a web-based multiplayer loot shooter of kinds, although no official particulars in regards to the undertaking have been ever shared publicly.
The Bend Studio cuts are the most recent self-inflicted wound of a PS5 era reside service pivot that’s left Sony conspicuously brief on massive first-party blockbusters. Reside service spin-offs of Twisted Metallic and The Final of Us have been additionally canceled, whereas Harmony’s launch went so poorly the corporate refunded the sport and shutdown the studio behind it which had acquired only a couple years prior.
One other upcoming on-line shooter, Fairgame$, was not too long ago delayed in accordance with Bloomberg after it acquired unfavorable suggestions from exterior testing. That studio’s head, Jade Raymond, departed across the identical time.
Replace 6/10/2025 5:06 p.m. ET: Added assertion from Sony.
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