Sony-owned Days Gone developer Bend Studio has laid off an unspecified number of staff.
In a brief statement posted to social media, the studio said layoffs were necessary as it "transition[ed] to its next project," admitting it is "a difficult moment for our team."
“Today, we said goodbye to some incredibly talented teammates as we transition to our next project," the statement began. "We're deeply thankful for their contributions as they've shaped who we are, and their impact will always be part of our story.
"This is a difficult moment for our team, but we hold immense respect for everyone who got us here. As we move forward, we remain committed to building the future of Bend Studio with creativity, passion, and innovation in the titles we craft."
Bend Studio did not expand on what its next project is, nor how many people have been affected. However, Bloomberg's Jason Schreier is reporting 30% of its team — thought to be around 40 people — have been let go. When asked if this perhaps signalled the whole studio would be shut down in the near future, Schreier noted it's "unlikely" they'd have laid off 40 staff if management weren't fighting to keep it afloat.
The cuts come just months after Sony canceled two unannounced live-service games that were in development at Bend Studio and Bluepoint Games. The Bluepoint game was reportedly a live-service God of War game. Bend Studio’s live-service game remains unknown, but at the time, its community manager insisted the team still planned "on creating cool sh*t." Bend's last release was 2019’s Days Gone on PlayStation 4, which launched on PC in 2021.
It is, of course, just the latest in a litany of industry cuts and job losses. Just a few days ago, Outriders developer People Can Fly posted a similar message, attributing layoffs to the cancelation of two projects.
Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world's biggest gaming sites and publications. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.
