Bend Studio, the Sony-owned development team behind Days Gone, has undergone a round of layoffs affecting an unspecified number of employees.
In a short statement shared via social media, the studio explained the move was necessary as it shifts focus to its upcoming project, calling it "a difficult moment for our team." The full message reads:
"Today, we said goodbye to some incredibly talented teammates as we transition to our next project. 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 disclose further details about its next title or the total number of affected employees. However, according to Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, approximately 30% of the studio's workforce — estimated at around 40 people — has been let go. When asked whether this might signal an eventual studio closure, Schreier suggested that such a scenario is “unlikely,” noting that cutting 40 roles wouldn’t make sense if leadership weren’t actively working to sustain the studio.These layoffs follow closely after Sony canceled two unannounced live-service games previously in development at Bend Studio and Bluepoint Games. While Bluepoint’s canceled title was reportedly a live-service God of War game, Bend’s project remains under wraps. At the time, the studio’s community manager emphasized that the team still intended "on creating cool sh*t."
Bend Studio’s most recent release was Days Gone in 2019 for PlayStation 4, which later made its way to PC in 2021.
This news adds to a growing list of layoffs across the gaming industry. Just days prior, People Can Fly, developer of Outriders, issued a similar announcement, citing project cancellations as the reason for staff reductions.
