Key Takeaways
- While many across the PlayStation world are celebrating the release of Astro Bot and its numerous cameos and tributes, there’s one person who is vehemently against it all.
- John Garvin, an ex-director at Sony’s Bend Studio, who worked on Days Gone, criticized the inclusion of Days Gone protagonist Deacon St. John in the game.
- Taking to Twitter, Garvin criticized the cameo, as well as his former studio, for allegedly failing to protect its legacy.
- This wouldn’t be the first time that Garvin has spoken out against Sony, Bend Studio or gamers as a whole, though his comments are never not unfortunate.
Astro Bot is finally here, and gamers across the globe are diving into Team Asobi’s first full-scale platformer featuring the lovable mascot. The game is a true treat and serves as a celebration of all things PlayStation, as well as all things video games, with a number of cameos and homages from across the decades packed in.
That said, while many are having fun with the vast number of tributes, there is one person who is decidedly against all of it. John Garvin, a former director at Sony’s Bend Studio, took to Twitter to share his displeasure with Days Gone’s protagonist being included in Astro Bot.
Stop Having Fun!
Taking to Twitter, Garvin criticzed Deacon’s inclusion in the game. The ex-director of Days Gone, who left Bend Studio in 2020, even criticized his former studio for its alleged lack of protecting its legacy.
That post came in response to Bend Studio’s own post commemorating the release of Astro Bot, one of several posts that Sony studios shared throughout launch day.
This wouldn’t be the first time that Garvin has had issues with Sony, Bend Studio or the gaming community as a whole. Gamers might recall that Garvin previously went on a tirade a few years ago, blaming Days Gone’s poor reception on so-called “woke reviewers.”
Those words prompted Bend Studio to issue a statement of its own, where the Oregon-based entity said in part, “Bend Studio does not share his sentiment, nor does it reflect the views of our team.”
Prior to that, Garvin took aim at gamers who don’t purchase games at full price. This was in response to Days Gone being a featured PlayStation Plus title for the month.
In other words, it’s basically par for the course when it comes to Garvin. Still, that doesn’t make his comments particularly unfortunate, especially as Astro Bot seeks to celebrate the legacy of PlayStation, of which Days Gone is certainly part of.