Bend Studio is working on a brand new IP that will not be related to previous projects. According to an interview with the Head of PlayStation Studios Hermen Hulst, Bend Studio is working on a “very exciting new IP” that will “[build] on the deep open-world systems that they have developed with Days Gone.”
The Days Gone developers made the announcement on their official Twitter account. In the post, the studio thanked fans for their support and passion, particularly towards the characters and world of Days Gone.
— Bend Studio #DaysGone (@BendStudio) June 2, 2021
Here is a full transcript of the announcement:
We are beyond grateful for your support with Days Gone and are truly honored by the amount of passion our community has shared with us for our world and characters. Your enthusiasm motivates us to continue to improve and create experiences that will last a lifetime.
From the Syphon Filter series to Resistance: Retribution, to Uncharted: Golden Abyss, and Days Gone, we are very excited to announce today that we are expanding the Bend Studio portfolio with a brand new IP.
We hope you embark on this new journey with us, and we can’t wait to show you what we’ve been working on.
The announcement comes a few months after reports that Sony shot down the studio’s pitch for Days Gone 2, due to mixed reception and a prolonged development schedule on the original. Instead, Sony reportedly split Bend Studios into two teams to work separately on an unnamed Naughty Dog multiplayer title and new Uncharted game. This led two of the studio’s heads, Jeff Ross and John Garvin, to leave Bend Studios. Garvin has since taken a break from the games industry and has commented on how a Sony game’s success hinges on Metacritic scores.
Afterward, many of Bend Studio’s employees petitioned Sony to transfer them back from their respective projects and allow them to work on a brand new game. PlayStation Studios’ Hermen Hulst has also stated that new IPs are “incredibly important” to PlayStation Studios and that Sony hopes to continue making games that take risks and push the boundaries of gaming. With this announcement, it looks as though whatever project the company is working on has been officially greenlit.
[Source: Twitter, PlayStation Blog]
