Days Gone maker Bend Studio has been hit by layoffs. Roughly a 3rd of the first-party PlayStation group was reduce following the current cancelation of an unannounced reside service mission, however Sony confirmed the studio is engaged on a brand new mission now and it stays “assured in its future and inventive course.”
“Earlier this 12 months, Bend Studio wrapped improvement on a reside service idea. After cautious consideration, we selected to not transfer ahead with it,” a spokesperson for Sony confirmed to Kotaku in an e mail. “Because the group shifts focus to its subsequent mission, we’ve made strategic modifications 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 course.”
About 40 builders on the Oregon-based studio have been laid right now, as first reported by Bloomberg. The mission they have been beforehand engaged on was canceled earlier this 12 months amid a purge of some inside reside service initiatives, together with a web-based God of Warfare spin-off at Bluepoint Video games. “Bend Studio laid off a bunch of individuals right now,” 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 identified 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 evaluate as extremely as some PlayStation exclusives however nonetheless bought nicely.
Whereas followers pined for a sequel, the studio hasn’t launched a sport 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 photos made it seem just like the now canceled sport was a web-based multiplayer loot shooter of types, although no official particulars concerning the mission have been ever shared publicly.
The Bend Studio cuts are the most recent self-inflicted wound of a PS5 technology reside service pivot that’s left Sony conspicuously quick on large first-party blockbusters. Stay service spin-offs of Twisted Steel 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 lately delayed in keeping with Bloomberg after it acquired adverse suggestions from exterior testing. That studio’s head, Jade Raymond, departed across the similar time.
Replace 6/10/2025 5:06 p.m. ET: Added assertion from Sony.
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