Among the many, many revelations that came out of Jason Schreier's recent report on Sony Worldwide Studios' inner workings, one of the ones that seems to have gone down most poorly with many PlayStation fans has been the one regarding Days Gone – or specifically, the lack of future it may have from here on out.
Launching in 2019, Days Gone was Sony Bend's first new IP in quite a while. Although it ended up being their most successful game, reviews for the title were decidedly mixed at launch. This came down to a host of issues – the game's lack of technical polish (always surprising for a Sony first party game), its relative lower quality compared to other PlayStation Studios games in the last decade or so, its rather generic and bland premise that it never does as much with, and despite some interesting systemic conceits, it playing it mostly by the book. All of these problems ended up making this the worst received of the "big" flagship Sony first party games. Although you could look at some of the smaller fare, such as Predator Hunting Grounds, to find games that had performed worse still, Days Gone was a premier game that was meant to stand side by side with titles such as Horizon Zero Dawn and Ghost of Tsushima (both of which in turn marked the ascension of their respective developers from making games that were merely good to making ones that count among the best titles of their respective years).
In spite of these relatively muted reviews – our own review for the game awarded it a 7/10, which is substantially lower than the scores we awarded Uncharted 4, Horizon, Bloodborne, The Last of Us Part 2, God of War, Spider-Man, Ghost of Tsushima, and Death Stranding – the game did well. It likely sold millions, and it garnered a vocal and fiercely passionate fanbase. I would also be remiss to not mention the fact that multiple post-launch updates added a fair bit of polish and functionality to the game that did improve its quality and merits by at least a little. It's still not a game that can stand toe to toe with the other major Sony games of the last decade, but it was at the very least a much better game than the low-70s scores that it got at launch would indicate, thanks to those subsequent fixes.
It wouldn't be unreasonable to expect a sequel to Days Gone in these circumstances. Most importantly, of course, it had sold well, and commercial success is after all the primary concern when new games are greenlit. As mentioned, it had a fiercely passionate fan following as well. Finally, of course, Sony has a history of several of its now major franchises and studios having started from relatively humbler roots. A major Sony studio such as Guerilla Games started out with Killzone, a game panned upon launch. While Killzone saw relatively better received sequels for a while, eventually Guerrilla ended up putting out yet another poorly received title in the series with Shadow Fall. Nonetheless, credit to Sony for still believing in them, because their next game ended up being Horizon Zero Dawn, which would go on to not only become their best received and bestselling title yet, but also a significant hit for Sony, and a game that would inform the direction their subsequent first party efforts would take in several important ways.
Then there is a franchise like Uncharted – yes, even the infallible Naughty Dog had a relatively rough start with Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. Though received fairly well, it wasn't exactly a game of the year contender (in fact, much like the PS3 itself, it was completely overshadowed by other major releases of its year, including Halo 3, Super Mario Galaxy, Metroid Prime 3 and Mass Effect). However, Sony, again, had the faith to stick with Naughty Dog, and their next game would be Uncharted 2, considered one of the best games ever made to this day. Uncharted 2's success would in turn lead to the recalibration of Naughty Dog's development sensibilities, as well as the promotion of personnel, who would go on to deliver The Last of Us a few years later, which is to this day the most significant Sony first party game ever.
What I'm trying to say is that Sony has been known to give its developers a lot of leeway even if they don't get it exactly right on the first go. They let those developers try again, and get a second shot at hitting it big. It was especially perplexing, when viewed in that context, that Sony has apparently chosen not to extend the same benefit of the doubt to Bend – especially when Sony's current head of first party efforts, Herman Hulst, is himself a Guerilla Games alum, who rose to prominence following the incredible success of Horizon. Why is Days Gone not being given a chance when so many other Sony studios and franchises have?
The most important thing to remember here is, as always, context. The comparisons listed above, while fair, are also not 1:1 analogous. Giving Guerilla Games or Naughty Dog multiple chances in the PS3 or even early PS4 eras, when game development budgets were significantly lower, is a substantially different undertaking than giving Sony Bend another blank check in an era where games can cost tens of millions of dollars – if not hundreds – to develop, with years of time, money, and resources pooled into their production. Purely commercially speaking, for Sony, it made far more sense to let a developer have another shot after a relatively poorly received title back in the 2000s and early 2010s, when multiple games put together would probably not cost as much to make as a single one may now.
The other major factor to remember here, and this one is a far more intangible one and therefore harder to explain and harder to palate, is the broader brand alignment of PlayStation Studios that Sony wants, and how Days Gone may or may not fit into that vision. To put that in plain language, in the last few years, there has been a very clear attempt by Sony to develop a consistent, cohesive vision and fabric for its first party titles that extends across all its big hits. As much as people arguing on message boards online might want to convince you otherwise, this is not a bad thing at all. Brands spend millions of dollars and years to have an instantly recognizable and cohesive direction across their product line, which can be instantly associated with them by the average customer. Look at how hard Marvel has worked to have a template and aesthetic that is distinctly theirs, which moviewatchers can not only instantly, subconsciously identify with Marvel when watching their movies, but even extend to using as a general adjective for other movies and even TV shows and games. Describing TV shows or games or movies as "like a Marvel movie" has happened because Marvel has worked hard at establishing a very clearly delineated and recognizable aesthetic and direction for their products that can be summed up as "Marvel". Their movies by definition have to have similarities, or "like a Marvel movie" would have no meaning as a statement – how would it, if every Marvel movie is different?
Sony has worked hard to have this kind of singular aesthetic and structure that can be recognized across all their games too. No, I am not giving any credence to the "Sony template" memes that people like to bandy about unironically, but there is a clear shared thread across flagship Sony games – story-focused single player third person action-adventure games. Back in the PS3 era, when Sony used to make a lot of different kinds of games with no clear commonality across them, there was no consistent vision or aesthetic tying them together – but today, that is clearly not the case. As I mentioned earlier, this is a good thing. It's the kind of thing companies take years and obscene amounts of money to achieve, and Sony having achieved it is a very clear part of their overall goals. And Sony isn't even the only company to have achieved this within the gaming industry – there is a very clear common aesthetic and design sensibility across all Nintendo games, for example, which is why "Nintendo game" can be used so effortlessly as a generic adjective.
But the point of me bringing this up isn't just to say that Sony's games have a consistent direction of being story-driven open world third person action-adventure games. Because if that was all it was, then Days Gone very clearly fits into quite literally every single one of those slots. No, there is another unspoken, but heavily implied, component to Sony first party games' overall identity that Sony views as being integral – integral enough that it supercedes everything else, in fact. And that factor is "quality."
See, Sony has actually indicated this several times – it views its flagship productions as big quality initiatives. These are games that not only do abundantly well with critics, but are also big winners come award season. This emphasis on quality helps Sony create an aura of prestige around their brand as a whole, contributing to the overall desirability of every new flagship Sony game simply for existing – because a new Sony game must be something to pay attention to, given how incredible every single one of their other titles has been. It also helps drive the desirability and narrative surrounding these games, creating system sellers out of them because the PlayStation ecosystem can lay claim to having a guaranteed stream of high quality award winning games that you simply cannot get anywhere else.
Quality is crucial to Sony's vision. That's what the whole software strategy is built on. That's what the whole console strategy is built on, in fact. Because obviously, while Sony recognizes that the bulk of its console revenues and success comes from the average customer who buys a PlayStation to play Fortnite and FIFA, they also recognize that if Fortnite and FIFA is all their consoles had to offer, there wouldn't be any reason whatsoever to pick PlayStation over competing propositions such as Xbox. Sony's entire console business relies on them selling their platform as an attractive proposition for third party publishers to sell their software on as a de facto option, based on a massive, engaged install base. But that massive and engaged install base comes from Sony consistently putting out quality exclusives that compel people to buy into PlayStation, and keep engaging with the platform. That can only happen if those quality exclusives are, in fact, quality. If the average customer walks into the store and has an option between two identically specced out and priced consoles, both of which can play Fortnite and FIFA, but one which can also play a stream of award winning games that the other cannot, they are significantly likelier to pick the option with those award winning games.
So as far as Sony's big flagship productions go, the games have to be quality now. Where back in the PS3 era, when Sony's whole approach to first party development and production was far more scattershot, titles with more muted reception such as Resistance: Fall of Man or God of War: Ascension may have made sense, they do not in context of where Sony is going today. While their smaller games such as Destruction AllStars or Concrete Genie can get by with not doing as well – their big tentpole releases don't get that same leeway. They have to be prestige products.
Days Gone was not a prestige game. It had a fan following, it sold well, but it wasn't a contender in the awards season, and its reception is still the worst of any big Sony first party game since The Order: 1886. There is, of course, every chance that Sony Bend may have been able to improve upon it significantly with a sequel – but to Sony, the brand itself probably doesn't hold as much value, and Sony Bend was better off doing something new. Especially because Sony Bend's learnings as a developer and as artists aren't only applicable to Days Gone. No matter what they do next, they will have learned from Days Gone and will be able to improve upon it significantly with that next game. Sony Bend still gets to put out a new IP that will probably be their Horizon or Ghost of Tsushima moment – because they will have learned from Days Gone, and the feedback it got.
All of this is to say that it's unlikely Sony actually does a sequel to the game any time soon. Of course, I can't speak in absolutes – I'm not privy to Sony's inside workings, and even Sony themselves can probably not say with surety whether or not they will still be unwilling to greenlight a sequel to the game in, say, ten years' time. But honestly, looking at the graveyard of very literally dozens of fan-favorite Sony games and franchises that have received no follow-ups or even acknowledgement from Sony in years (if not decades), I don't think it's unreasonable to assume that if it doesn't get a sequel now – which it's all but confirmed at this point that it won't – then it never will.
Who knows, though. A PC port of Days Gone is coming up in a few weeks, and for all we know, the game has a renaissance of reception there that makes Sony reassess its stance with respect to the game, and makes it reconsider giving it a sequel some day (or at least keeping the option open). Or maybe a huge Days Gone fan one day takes over Sony's first party strategy, and they make sure a sequel is greenlit. The options are limitless, and it's impossible to say with total certainty that there will never be a Days Gone sequel again. But based on the facts we have on hand, as well as a proper assessment of Sony's priorities as a publisher and as a platform holder, the prospect of there being a Days Gone 2 any time soon – if ever – is fairly non-existent.
Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.
CD Projekt RED's 2020 Saw Record Revenue And Profit
By this point, I imagine just about everyone reading this is familiar with the technical woes of 2020's Cyberpunk 2077. The game was one of the most anticipated games of the last console generation and launched to some issues that are still being fixed. Despite that, the game did very well for itself, and carried its developer and publisher to a record year.
As reported by GamesIndustry, CD Projekt RED reported bringing in PLN 2.14 billion ($562 million) in consolidated sales revenues. That's up over four times of 2019 numbers, and over double of the last record from 2015 when the company launched The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. They also reported a net profit of PLN 1.15 billion ($303 million), which is three times their previous record of 2015.
Earlier this month, the company recommitted to doing everything they could to fix the issues with Cyberpunk 2077 by saying they have no intentions of shelving the project. If you didn't understand why that was, well, here you go. Doesn't get more straightforward than that.
Hood: Outlaws And Legends Highlights Hideout And Progression In Latest Video
Next month will see the unique Hood: Outlaws and Legends title. The game looks to be quite an interesting take with a PvPvE model. The game's publisher, Focus Home Interactive, has been on the marketing trail and we've seen a lot from the game so far, such as information on classes and spotlights for certain maps. Now we get one, tied to the game's progression.
The latest trailer is about two different aspects of the game, but do tie into one another. The big highlight is about your hideout that you'll go to in-between heists. Your hideout will also be tied to your progression, as it won't just be a place to kick back and relax, as this will be where you deal with things like your customization and perks. You can check it out below.
Hood: Outlaws and Legends is set to release on May 10th for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and PC. For some features you'll need to know ahead of time for the game's release, we have you covered through here.
NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139… Gets Nearly 16 Minutes Of Gameplay
Next week, we will get to revisit the beginning of one of the strangest, and perhaps most surprising, franchises under Square Enix's belt with NieR Replicant. The game is a remastering of the original title, and it also seems to be bringing back some cut content, even if you have played it in the past. The game has officially gone gold and looks to be primed to go for when it launches, and today we got a nice sneak peak at what to expect.
Nearly 16 minutes of gameplay has been released from PlayStation Underground. There is commentary here, which gives some break down on the combat variety as well as locales you'll be going through, but if you prefer, you can mute and still get a good idea of what the game will play like. You can check out the full video below.
NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139… is set to release on April 23rd for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. Fans of the game's sequel also seem to be getting some free costumes, which you can read more about though here.
Hitman 3 Sold 300% Better Than Previous Game
While the Hitman series is set to have a well-deserved rest, it also seems as if the latest entry in the series, Hitman 3, has taken the series to seemingly new heights before this slumber. The game once again puts you in the shoes of Agent 47 as he hunts down various targets. The game comes at the tail end of an acclaimed reboot trilogy, and it's one that's struck a cord in a big way.
IO Interactive CEO Hakan Abrak sat down with GamesIndustry to talk about the game's success as well as the future for IO going forward. There he revealed that the third game had sold a staggering 300% better than the previous game in the series, Hitman 2. While it was known the game had quite a successful launch, with stories like the game having the biggest digital launch in series history, but that is an incredible jump up.
Hitman 3 is available now for all major platforms. You can read about the game's latest DLC that just released, Season of Greed, through here.
F-Zero Would Be Hard To Revive, Would Need A "Grand Idea," Says Series Art Director
Like many major companies that have been going on for an extended period of time, Nintendo has a lot of properties. You know the big ones, of course, the Marios and Zeldas, but there's also plenty of games that are more in the cult status that never quite managed to hit it big. One of those was F-Zero, a racing series that began on the SNES and had some high-profile revival attempts in the Gamecube and GBA era that flopped and the series has since been on the shelf. Could it come back? Well, it's not impossible, but it sounds like it'd need a big kickstart.
Takaya Imamura worked at Nintendo from 1989 to 2021, and was the Art Director and Character Designer on the F-Zero franchise. He spoke with IGN about his long career at the video game giant. He reflected on a lot of things, but when it came to F-Zero, he surprisingly said he didn't think the series was actually dead, though did say it would take a lot for it to revive. Specifically, he said, "Of course, I've thought about it many times, but without a grand new idea, it's hard to bring it back."
While the series lives on with Captain Falcon being playable in Super Smash Bros., the last game in the series to be released was in 2004. While stranger things have happened, I wouldn't put a lot of money on that one getting much of a grand idea for a revival.
Dead By Daylight Will Get Resident Evil Content In June
Over the last few years, Dead by Daylight has emerged as something of a melting pot of horror franchises. The 1v4 multiplayer title sees a group of survivors taking on a powerful killer creature. There has been material from so many horror properties going from Saw to Nightmare on Elm Street. They even recently dipped their toes into video game horror franchises with Silent Hill-themed DLC. Now they will add another video game horror series to their ranks, the biggest of all.
As part of the recent Resident Evil showcase that highlighted Resident Evil Village, it was revealed that Dead by Daylight would be getting a Resident Evil chapter later this year. The teaser, which you can see in full below, shows a man hanging from what looks to be a makeshift gallows while being stalked by an unknown creature. That's all for now, but there is certainly a lot of content that could be used from the series, so it'll be fun to see what they end up bringing over.
Dead by Daylight is available now on all major platforms. The Resident Evil chapter, whatever it'll look like, will release sometime in June.
Returnal Shows More Gameplay Footage in New Overview Video
Returnal has looked like a exciting prospect since the moment it was first revealed, and the more we get to see of Housemarque's roguelike shooter, the more it intrigues us. Its launch is right around the corner now, and Sony has been ramping up the hype for the game as we get closer to it. Now, we've got some more gameplay footage to check out.
In an overview video that was recently uploaded by the official PlayStation UK YouTube channel, PlayStation Access, there's plenty of new gameplay footage from Returnal to gawk at. New enemies, fast and frantic combat, and more are shown off, and unsurprisingly, it's all continuing to look rather good. Take a look below.
There isn't long left until we get our hands on the game ourselves. Returnal recently went gold, launches exclusively for the PS5 on April 30. Until then, head on over here to get more details on the game.
Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales Has Outsold Ghost of Tsushima and The Last of Us Part 2 in the US
There was little doubt in anyone's mind that Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales would sell a lot. Its predecessor is one of Sony's most successful games of all time, of course- but given its status as essentially a standalone expansion in all but name, most were expecting significantly lower sales. Well, it seems that hasn't been the case. The NPD Group recently released data for video game sales in the US for March 2021, and while doing so, also spoke of how sales figures overall have looked over the last twelve months.
Over the last twelve months, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales has been the fifth highest selling game in the US in terms of dollar sales, and is, in fact, Sony's best-selling game in the region throughout the entire period. Notably, that even puts it ahead of other Sony megatons like The Last of Us Part 2 and Ghost of Tsushima, which are placed seventh and eighth respectively.
As for the game's total worldwide sales so far, it's been a while since Sony announced updates sales figures for it, but we do know that it sold 4.1 million units in 2020.
Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales is available on PS5 and PS4, while Ghost of Tsushima and The Last of Us Part 2 are available on PS4.
Genshin Impact – Update 1.5 Arrives April 28th, Includes Native PS5 Support
miHoYo's latest update for Genshin Impact, "Beneath the Light of the Jadeite", goes live on April 28th. It brings a swathe of new content including a new dungeon, a new boss enemy and two new characters. Native PS5 support, which provides enhanced textures and 4K resolution, will also be available.
Update 1.5 continues the journey of Zhongli and introduces Eula and Yanfei. The former is a 5-star character who uses claymores and has the Cryo Vision while the latter is a 4-star Pyro user who specializes in Charged Attacks. New Hangout events will be available while a new Trounce Domain and new boss, Azhdaha, are also added.
Players can also travel to Teyvat and set up their own home. Acquiring a Serenitea Pot allows for creating a realm to occupy and either a Mondstadt or Liyue style building for their house. Various blueprints for furniture will be available to discover throughout Teyvat. Players can also expect new seasonal challenges and events with more details to come. Stay tuned in the meantime.