Bend Studio

My Analysis & Predictions

Despite DG shipping over 6 years ago, we don't even have a name for Bend's next game due to a very long string of bad luck and incompetence:

• Bend pitched Days Gone 2, which Sony rejected due to DG's initial reception.
• A 2020 internal power struggle resulted in DG's writer and creative director leaving.
• Bend's new leadership then greenlit a live-service game based on an original IP.
• That game was then cancelled in January 2025, likely due to Sony's colder feet for internal live services, post-Concord.

Fortunately, much of DG's criticism comes from those who lost the power struggle. Between that, Sony's increased reluctance in live services, DG getting a remaster, and the more positive general consensus around the IP in 2026, there's a better chance DG2 is greenlit than in recent years, which is the best-case scenario.

The worst-case scenario is Bend's closure, which is more likely given they've shipped 1 game in 15 years that came with a lot of controversy. They're also years away from shipping a second. At the very least, don't expect a new Bend title until PS6, making the PS5 a truly wasted generation for them due to former leadership and Sony's poor live service execution.