Bend Studio's Next Game Could Be Closer Than Expected

Bend Studio may finally be ready to show what it's been working on, with a new job posting offering another hint that its next game could be revealed soon. The position is for a community manager who would join the team working on Bend Studio's next game, with applications already open and the role scheduled to begin in January.

That timing is particularly interesting given what has been reported about Bend Studio over the past few months. The studio was previously said to be in a better position after weathering some of PlayStation's recent changes, with expectations that its next game could be shown within the next one to two years. That would put a reveal sometime next year or potentially in 2028.

Bend Studio has been one of the PlayStation studios that has remained relatively quiet during this period.

While several studios have faced changes or cancellations, including projects connected to PlayStation's push into live service games, Bend Studio's situation has been less clear. Media Molecule has also been relatively quiet, although reports suggest its next project could arrive next year and could have an Animal Crossing-style concept with some similarities to LittleBigPlanet.

The new Bend Studio job listing now provides another piece of information to consider. Kevin Mallister, the studio's brand and communications manager, shared a post looking for a community manager to join the team for its next game. The position would involve working directly with him, with applications open now and the job starting in January.

The position is also listed as a 12-month contract role.

That detail makes the timing stand out even more. A community manager would work with the community, help create content, shape the studio's public-facing channels, and maintain daily engagement with players.

Bend Studio's listing describes the project as its next high-profile AAA game and references the studio's history with Days Gone, Uncharted: Golden Abyss and Siphon Filter. The community manager would essentially become one of the voices connecting the studio and its upcoming game with players.

The position reportedly pays between $36 and $48 per hour, but the more interesting part is the 12-month contract and when it begins. If Bend Studio plans to reveal its next game sometime next year, bringing someone into the role in January would give that person a full year to communicate with players about the project.

That doesn't necessarily mean the game is a live service title.

Bend Studio had previously been associated with live service projects, and there had been speculation that its next game could follow that model. However, the responsibilities described in the job listing don't point specifically to a live service game.

Community management isn't limited to ongoing multiplayer games.

A traditional single-player title can also benefit from someone creating content, communicating with players and building interest around the project. A game such as God of War, for example, could still have someone working with its community and helping keep players engaged without being a live service title.

The 12-month contract could therefore simply reflect the period in which Bend Studio expects to begin talking publicly about its next game. If the game is announced and released within that window, the position would cover that entire period. If the game takes longer, the contract could potentially be extended, although there is no indication that this will happen.

The timing makes a reveal next year seem more plausible, based on what we know right now.

It would be weird to hire a community manager in January for a game that would stay entirely unannounced throughout the contract period, especially when the job description specifically mentions involvement in Bend Studio's next game and interaction with its players.

At the very least, the position suggests Bend Studio is preparing for a period when it will have more to say about the project. The role isn't simply described as a general studio position; it is specifically connected to the team's next game.

That also lines up with the earlier expectation that Bend Studio's project could appear within the next one to two years. If that timeframe holds, next year would be the earliest the game could be revealed, while 2028 would be the later end of that window.

Bend Studio's game could also become part of PlayStation's plans for its next-generation hardware.

Nothing in the job posting confirms that, and no official announcement connects the project to a PS6 launch. Still, with Bend Studio, Media Molecule, and other projects potentially moving toward announcements, a larger group of games could eventually be ready to support PlayStation's next console.

For Bend Studio specifically, the timing would mark an important return to the spotlight. Days Gone was released in 2019, meaning the studio is approaching eight years without releasing another major game. Bend Studio has gone through canceled projects and changes during that period, including work tied to PlayStation's live-service push, making the arrival of a new game particularly significant for the studio.

The new community manager position doesn't reveal what that game actually is, nor does it confirm when PlayStation will show it. It does, however, suggest Bend Studio is preparing to make its next project more visible. With the role beginning in January and lasting 12 months, next year could be when you finally start hearing more about what the studio has been building.