Days Gone was released on PlayStation 4 in 2019, emerging as a solid enough open-world, post-apocalyptic shooter with some innovative elements. It was a bit of a performance-based nightmare at launch, but it levelled out quite nicely and was eventually ported to PC, offering players on two platforms an enjoyable end-of-the-world experience.
Unfortunately, despite the potential of the universe for expansion and another game, Bend Studio announced some time ago that it wouldn’t be pursuing a sequel, leaving the title to rust and age, confined to the abyss of history. That has never sat well with the game’s director, who recently spoke out against Bend Studio for using Days Gone’s protagonist to ‘promote other games’.
Days Gone By
To celebrate the launch of Astro Bot, Bend Studio posted a picture of Deacon St. John, the main character from Days Gone, watching other Astro Bot characters play on a beach. By way of a response, John Garvin, one of the writers and directors working on Days Gone, said:
Kinda sad that Deek (Deacon St. John) has been reduced to promoting other games … well done Bend Studio! Way to protect your legacy!
This isn’t the first time that Garvin has taken to social media to vent his frustrations regarding the abandonment of Days Gone. The gaming industry veteran departed Bend Studio in 2019, months after the release of Days Gone, and he has always rued how his game was treated in the years that followed.
He doubled down in the comments on Twitter:
Haha, I see my character reduced to a cartoon schill promoting some small game and I’m being harsh? Sit down, my brotha, adults are talking
I enjoyed Days Gone and rinsed the game as much as possible, collecting every trophy and exploring the vast world it presented. In particular, I was fond of the game’s ‘horde mechanic’, which allowed for hundreds of enemies to charge at the player in an instant, often making for some of the most intense fights I’ve ever had in a game.
It’s a shame that Days Gone was forgotten by Bend Studio, but it’s not the first franchise the team has had to give up on. It’s not a good look for Garvin to be defending his title like this on social media and he’s receiving plenty of flak for it, but it’s not impossible to see where he’s coming from.
For more Insider Gaming coverage, check out the news that Stellar Blade might be coming to Astro Bot