Good issues fail, even video video games. Gravity Rush, Arkane Austin, the Sega Dreamcast, for perceived low gross sales and sub-standard execution respectively, or within the Dreamcast’s case a litany of points together with excessive competitors and a problem to obtain revenue. Irrespective of how good these video games, studios, or consoles are, they’re destined to fail for one motive or one other.
That is the truth Days Gone and its legion of followers are going through. Besides, in contrast to the examples simply given Days Gone offered properly, introduced contemporary concepts to the open world style, and – in developer Bend Studio – has a strong group behind it; a collective demonstrably able to producing top-tier video games, a group that made the sport they needed to make.
Now handed is Sony’s September State of Play, gone with no whiff of Deek’s motorcycle exhaust fumes regardless of heavy rumours a Days Gone PS5 remaster is correct across the nook. These rumours started innocuously, as they all the time do. Commenting on X, VGC host Jordan Middler responded to Jeff Grubb of the Recreation Mess Mornings podcast who was touting a recreation much less thrilling than Horizon Zero Daybreak is slated for remaster, with an announcement coming throughout September’s State of Play. Middler’s response to Grubb prompt former Bend Studio artistic director John Garvin could be irked by this summation, given how unimpressed he was that Deacon St. John’s picture was used to promote copies of Astro Bot.
Because it occurs, Grubb could have been referring to different remasters – harsh, if that’s the case. Or he was fed dud data. Regardless of the recreation behind his declare, it wasn’t associated to Days Gone. We heard nothing: not a remaster, remake, enhanced version, or – as has grown more and more unlikely – a sequel.
Though, concerning sequels it’s properly established by now that Days Gone 2 isn’t taking place. Forged your thoughts again to earlier than these State of Play rumours emerged again in June 2024. Bend Studio neighborhood supervisor Kevin McAllister publicly apologised to Days Gone’s followers as, in line with him, they’d been “getting fed false hope and poor data by individuals on the lookout for likes”, though he stopped in need of mentioning any of the people by title. The upshot: nothing new is within the works for the sequence. A sequel isn’t forthcoming and for anybody to counsel in any other case is plainly being unfair on the fanbase who’re anxious for a return joyride by means of verdant, zombie ravaged Oregon.
The query actually is why have Sony distanced themselves a lot from the sport? Over 7 million gross sales and a legion of followers anticipating a follow-up – to not point out the sport ending on a cliff-hanger – it appears non-sensical for Days Gone 2 to not change into a actuality. Sure, the sport was dealt a poor vital reception upon launch owing to a sleugh of bugs and glitches, however these have largely been resolved. Perhaps, on this present local weather, one wherein Sony are nonetheless pursuing live-service alternatives, Days Gone 2 is merely shelved for now. Bear in mind although, nothing official is being labored on. Bend Studio themselves are at present growing a AAA live-service open world recreation, however like Treatment and Alan Wake II, historical past tells us that sequels can come years after their predecessors. So, if a Days Gone sequel does ever emerge would an enhanced model of the unique assist or hinder?
Earlier than we get into that it’s price mentioning {that a} PS5 model of Days Gone already exists. One which targets as much as 60 fps with dynamic 4K decision. A PS5 Professional model, as is extra possible than a remake or remaster at this stage, isn’t outdoors the realms of chance. And it’d be extra worthwhile than a easy remaster given the PS5 model already on the market. Nonetheless, an enhanced model that sits someplace between a remaster and a remake might show fairly profitable, even when it’s a little fanciful at this cut-off date.
Horizon Zero Daybreak’s upcoming remaster – lambasted at first however exhibiting indicators of acceptance – is doing greater than bringing the seven-year-old recreation as much as the identical graphical constancy as its sequel. Over ten hours of dialog has been re-recorded, movement seize has been improved, and character fashions and animations have been upgraded. Useless Rising Deluxe Remaster harbours quite a few high quality of life enhancements, up to date controls, and refined, extra clever NPC AI alongside the standard licks of graphical paint. The Final of Us Half II Remastered provides a plethora of bonus content material – some minimize from the unique recreation, others completely new modes to check out.
This strategy may very well be taken with Days Gone ought to this hypothetical enhanced version ever come to fruition. There are quite a few parts which, when improved, would transfer the sport past a fundamental remaster to one thing extra akin to the examples simply given. Character interactions, for instance, may very well be tremendously expanded, and never simply with tertiary characters like Boozer or Copeland however dialogue choices for random camp-dwelling NPCs will enhance immersion. The sport’s weapon development system leaves rather a lot to be desired, with construct selection too slender to advertise a wide range of playstyles. Heck, every camp might change into extra faction-like, with interactivity amongst themselves as a substitute of simply present as standalone settlements.
Bend Studio recreation director Jeff Ross, talking in 2021, talked about co-operative play as an concept that they had for Days Gone which was parked till presumably a sequel. Extra particularly, Ross states that they’d take the world’s “belongings and methods and repurpose them for some kind of equally themed multiplayer model of this universe.” He continues saying it “could be with guys like Deacon attempting to outlive, increase a clubhouse or a crew.” This may match properly into an enhanced-slash-remastered model. If there’s a method the sport’s standout horde battles may very well be improved, it’d be by way of working along with others.
These a only a handful of concepts, however they communicate to the scope of a recreation which – now all its technical kinks have been ironed out – has a correct basis laid to construct on worthy enchancment. Ought to a suitably enhanced model of Days Gone seem then it’d be stunning if this didn’t promote properly, particularly if Sony decide to implement an improve path like we’ve seen with different remasters.
Crucial reception performed an enormous half in Days Gone’s downfall. Sony’s speculative points with Bend Studio’s former artistic director are meaningless now, in the event that they even had any affect on Sony pulling the plug on additional Day Gone content material. Additionally, there may be the a lot much less publicised revelation that the choice to veer away from Days Gone 2 was made internally by the remaining devs at Bend Studio anyway. There’s evidently inner strife between Bend and Sony we’ll by no means be totally appraised of, however possibly failure was too robust a declaration at this characteristic’s outset. Days Gone has attained cult standing. It hasn’t failed. And… backside line: cash talks, and Days Gone has made some.
Ought to by some miracle an enhanced remaster of Days Gone see the sunshine of day then it’d little question promote like sizzling desserts. This, and maybe solely this, will pave the best way for a Days Gone sequel, and possibly even a trilogy (or is that simply wishful pondering?).
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