Days Gone Studio Hits Reset: Bend Cancels Live-Service Project After Three Years

Given the unpredictability of the game development industry, even large game studios may struggle with their creative output. After working on its long-running live-service project for three years, Bend Studio, which is best known for the open-world zombie survival game Days Gone, has announced that it will be canceling the project.

The decision was made, according to the sources, because there had not been sufficient meaningful progress throughout the production period before its announcement. The game, initially known as "Mirror Pond" within Guerrilla Games, was being developed with the help of the Decima Engine, which is also responsible for the development of Horizon Forbidden West and Death Stranding.

On the other hand, it appears that the process of adjusting to this new technology has resulted in a more gradual pace of events. In his professional profile, Robert Morrison, a former senior animator who worked at Bend for a few years, stated that the team was having difficulty making progress. Morrison claimed that the team was having difficulty. Unreal Engine, which the company had been using for Days Gone, had been replaced with Decima. This alteration likely resulted in complications and delays.

It was originally planned for Mirror Pond to be a live-service game, a category of game that Sony had been investing a significant amount of money in up until very recently.

But, the project didn't progress, and the company went through some changes, so it was eventually canceled. It was in the middle of 2025 that Bend Studio made a big change in how it did things by firing about 30% of its staff. In the past, Bloomberg has stated that the team will abandon the live-service strategy and instead move on to a new project.

Fans may be disappointed that Days Gone 2 has not been released yet. Still, a significant number of them are optimistic that this decision will allow Bend to return to what it does best: crafting single-player experiences driven by the plot. As a result of its massive setting in Oregon, its emotionally charged narrative, and the thrill of surviving massive hordes, the first Days Gone is still considered a cult masterpiece.

Despite the varied reactions to the game when it was initially released, it has garnered a devoted following that has been vocal in its demand for a follow-up or sequel.

There is also the possibility that Bend could revive another popular series, known as Syphon Filter, and many are discussing this prospect. The firm may refocus on self-contained single-player games to revive one of PlayStation's forgotten legends. This would be accomplished by utilizing the lessons that it has learned from recent troubles.

Ultimately, the decision to cancel Mirror Pond could prove to be the catalyst that Bend Studio needs to begin again. Instead of releasing something that falls short of expectations, it is preferable to take a step back and regroup. The next decision made by the studio may determine its identity for the next ten years.

Indeed, it has the potential to bring back the post-apocalyptic world of Days Gone with a greater degree of bite than ever before.

At this point, the question that needs to be answered is whether you would prefer to see Days Gone 2 come back from the dead or Syphon Filter have a sly comeback.