Days Gone Remastered Delivers PS5 Upgrade, But Fans Long for Sequel

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For the first time in over a decade, Bend Studio – a subsidiary of Sony known for creating Siphon Filter – unveiled an original intellectual property titled Days Gone. Over six years were invested into the creation of this open-world action-adventure game, which led to a significant expansion of the studio’s workforce to ensure its successful development. Prior to its launch, there was a palpable excitement from both developers and enthusiasts regarding Days Gone. Sony was so certain about the title that it showcased it not once but twice during its prestigious E3 2016 conference, demonstrating their faith in its potential success.

Initially, the anticipation for the release of Days Gone was high, but when it finally hit shelves in early 2019, it didn’t live up to expectations. Upon its debut, Days Gone faced a mixed response from critics, with an average score of 72 on OpenCritic and minimal recognition from major gaming outlets. In contrast, most of Sony’s top AAA games at the time had scored in the 80s and 90s, leaving fans puzzled by Days Gone‘s lower rating. Despite its mediocre critical reception, though, Days Gone gained a devoted following within the gaming community. The game sold millions of copies on PS4 and PC, and it’s set to receive a second chance on PS5 in the near future.

Days Gone is Getting a New Lease on Life With Its Upcoming PS5 Remaster

Days Gone’s PS5 Re-Release Includes a Lot of New Content

At the latest PlayStation State of Play event, Sony revealed that Bend Studio’s open-world epic, Days Gone, would receive an update for the PlayStation 5 on April 25, 2025. This overhaul, titled Days Gone Remastered, will boast improved graphics, along with fresh gameplay modes and elements. The upcoming version will offer a permanent death mode, a fast-paced horde attack mode where players fend off endless hordes of Freakers, and a speedrunning option. Similar to other recent remasters from Sony, this enhanced edition of the game will be available as an upgrade for $10 to all existing Days Gone owners, but will retail for $50 otherwise.

The Days Gone Remaster is Nice, But Many Fans Would Have Preferred a Sequel Instead

Despite the addition of some extra content in the remastered version of “Days Gone Remastered”, it’s not quite what most fans of Bend Studio’s latest game had envisioned. The original “Days Gone” may be a six-year-old title, but it performs exceptionally well on PlayStation 5. In truth, due to a patch released in 2020, “Days Gone” can run at a steady 60 FPS on PS5 with a dynamic 4K resolution. Many gamers would have likely preferred a genuine sequel to “Days Gone” over this remastered edition.

Although Days Gone 2 Was Initially Scrapped, It Could Be Greenlit If the Remaster Sells Well

It’s been reported that Bend Studio had initially proposed a follow-up for the game “Days Gone” shortly after its release. However, according to Jason Schreier of Bloomberg, Sony turned down their pitch for “Days Gone 2”. The reason behind this decision is believed to be internal dissatisfaction with the performance of “Days Gone”, despite its good sales. This sentiment may have been influenced by the game’s mixed critical reception and challenging development process, which were significant factors in Sony’s decision-making process. Following the cancellation of “Days Gone 2”, Bend Studio moved on to develop a new live service multiplayer title, but that project was also scrapped earlier this year.

While it’s pleasing to see Sony continuing support for Days Gone with its upcoming PS5 remaster, many fans would have preferred if Sony had allowed Bend Studio to produce a sequel instead. If the remastered version of Days Gone proves successful, maybe Sony will grant Bend Studio the go-ahead for Days Gone 2, given they currently don’t seem to be working on any other projects. However, at present, this idea remains a wishful thinking, and the fate of the Days Gone IP beyond the remaster is yet to be unveiled.

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2025-02-15 14:34