Is it too late for Days Gone 2?

 

Days Gone was a zombie game I didn't really expect to like when I picked it up. Open world and narratively linear- I was kind of expecting the 'Ubisoft' of zombie titles that was going to burn me out as surely as every other recent Ubisoft game unfailing has. What I found instead was an impressively well realised character driven story that focused on grief, purpose and flashes of redemption. Perhaps not as impactfully as Red Dead Redemption 2 did it, but solidly enough to win my surprised recommendation when I reviewed the game not very long ago. And considering how that game ended with a cliff-hanger- the question has been asked now and then whether or not the game is truly ready for a sequel follow-up in the coming years.

Of course, the not-so stellar critical reception of the game when it first released might have been the kibosh on that particular train of thought. Sony didn't particularly want a game that couldn't hit the perfect scores of their other high-premium first party titles and thus made it decently clear to Bend Studio that a sequel wouldn't be on the table anytime soon. Similarly, the game director of Days Gone has made it a not-so-secret that the game did not quite sell as well as it come have; particularly with the man drunkenly lambasting everyone who doesn't pick up games full price in the first week as untrue fans who don't care about supporting developers. Which I guess makes me a freakin' war criminal in the games industry because I pick up about 1 full price game every two years or so. 

But recently it seems like Days Gone can't really stay out of being in the news, despite the apparently 'dead in the water' status of the franchise. That former studio director recently scored headlines by saying the head scratching cliffhanger of the original game was set-up to lead into a trilogy of games, not just a boring old sequel- which sparked up questions about whether or not such a plan could really be in the drain like everyone says. Bend Studio had to reaffirm that the franchise was dead, they're moving on to new IP and even took the time to sneak-diss their old Director by claiming this was all being drummed up for likes. Not that I blame them, to be honest- he does come off an a whiny dick in a lot of his diatribes. 

So it would seem that the official word is good and said no matter how many times that director tries to impress "never say never!"; but if there's one thing we've come to learn about Sony, the real people in charge of making decisions around here, it's that they don't have a backbone when it comes to public pressure. They folded like a deck of cards when it came to Helldivers 2, pulled back on their Live Service hellhole plans when The Last of Us developers straight clowned on them and I'll bet that if enough fan fever is drummed up they will turn around and un-cancel this franchise. In fact, I'll bet that is what the Director is low-key drumming for with all of these breadcrumbs he keeps dropping. And it wouldn't be the strangest heel-turn that Sony has ever done. Remember when the Internet tricked them into re-investing into placing a critical and commercial bomb of a movie back in theatres because meme culture convinced them it would be popular? (Morbius remembers.)

The original Days Gone game presented itself as a showcase of technical ability presenting giant hoards of zombies moving as one that were actual threats the player had to face. There were times when these served as simply background set-pieces to story moments and others when you would literally be diving in a cave, visualise the sound around you (as you can) and spot several thousand bodies rushing through the caves directly coming for your head. It was tense, dramatic damn near terrifying at times. It also wasn't a half-bad third person action game featuring really punchy shooting, entirely serviceable melee and a bike combat minigame that... existed. I guess.

There was certainly room to grow in terms of scale. Living out in the sticks were could only hear about how insane the cities were under the hoards of the undead, but imagine actually getting to see that in front of you! It would be like living in an actual World War Z game with bodies climbing over other bodes in order to scale walls. Skyscrapers stuffed with enemies. Big explosive weapons to deal with them- they hadn't reached the apex of what this idea provided, not by a long shot! As for Deacon's personal journey- that I'm less sure on. There would have certainly been room to expand if, you know, the third act of this game hadn't happened. But it did, and in doing so sort-of inexplicably resolved all of Deacon's personal issues. They really could have saved all of that for at least the sequel.

But of course we would have to ask ourselves in that much more abstract way- is the world really down for more Zombie games? The situation is not as dire as it were- zombies games aren't hitting the shelves every other day and most of those do look pretty interesting. Even State of Decay 3 looked pretty damn easy on the eyes. But that doesn't mean there isn't a certain subset who just absolutely do not want to hear about it when it comes to the rotting and I can't exactly sit back and pretend there haven't been one too many zombie franchises in the gaming world. Do we really need another one? One that explores character motives does hit a little a differently than your standard fair I would argue, but realising that would take people actually playing this game to learn that it's different and... most people just didn't want to.

I think it really would take a miracle for Sony to suddenly throw Days Gone back into sudden production but I suppose stranger things have happened in the house of blue. I just think most people have really moved on from this game and in doing so enfranchised a belief that the original game was 'mid', when I would most certianly assist it is well above average by most every estimation. But who is going to take the time to check? Still, I will say it's smart of the director to try and apply pressure on Sony themselves because we know just how out-of-touch those guys can be on the best of days. If he really wants to make this happen- those are the right feathers to rustle. And if the impossible does come to pass- you can bet I'll pick up my copy... provided it actually comes to PC day one this time around, of course... 

Days Gone 2: Killed by gamers

 We are gathered here today

Are you a gamer? Do you enjoy spending some of that free-time currency with the ever creative medium of gaming? Well then you just make me sick, you depraved degenerate! Because that just means you, alongside all others of your kind, are responsible for the death of Days Gone 2. Or rather, we as a people are responsible for the termination of Days Gone 2 in utero, because although the game was cancelled before it was even made, we are the culprit at the end of it all. We are the one's found above the dining room with a bloody candlestick and a wanting alibi. (I assume those references made sense. I've never actually played Cluedo) So I guess the question is; Why'd you do it? Or why did we do it? Are we just a sick twisted people drunk on the sensation of crushing dreams? Maybe it's because we hate all artists and developers and want them to suffer and starve. Yeah, I'm thinking we're getting close to the root of the cancer. Maybe then we can finally validate to the former Bend director of Days Gone that we're all just as much degenerate scumbags as he knows we are.

Did I lay it on a bit thick? Sorry if any of my sarcasm actually offended you out there, I've worked up quite the immunity to name calling and general self loathing so I can get kind of carried away at times. But that little diatribe up there is really the first thought that came to my mind when I read John Garvin's views about the whole Days Gone 2 situation. But just in case you've found yourself out of the loop and am currently looking at this sentence with the glazed out expression of someone trying desperately to care; I'll consolidate. On my Birthday in 2019 (that's April 26) Sony publish a zombie biker open-world (survival?) game called Days Gone. It proceeded the usual flair and excitement that Sony originals got, which is why when it dropped and was only 'good', that stood out as a misfire from a studio that was determined to establish a reputation of publishing only excellence. That game sold well, but not amazingly, and now we've learnt that plans for a sequel have been scrapped for the time being and Bend Studio is without the franchise that they deserved. Also, we miss out on another Sam Witwer performance, and I positively adore Sam Witwer so that alone makes me devastated.

Yet in the words of a sullen pre-impetus Peter Parker; "I missed the part where that's my problem." Well don't worry cause John Garvin's got you there. I mean, he's not going to shoot your uncle, but he's got you covered anyway. Garvin was actually a featured guest on David Jaffe's (the creator of God of War) Youtube channel, whereupon he let off some choice opinions about the game he wrote for back when he worked for Bend. (which he didn't at the time of saying this) When addressed with the fact that Days Gone would be coming to the PS5 collection, our protagonist retorted with something that he admitted he knew would annoy some people. "If you love a game, buy it at full f******* price." (Sorry my man, no F-bombs on this blog) He extrapolated. "I can't tell you how many times I've seen gamers say 'yeah, I got that on sale, I got it through PS Plus, whatever-" Jaffe replied with the quite sound argument that one can't exactly say they love a game if they haven't played it, but our man Garvin knows how to sidestep, alright? He's on that politician game right now, avoiding direct questions like Muhammad Ali out here. "I'm just saying, you don't, but don't complain if a game doesn't get a sequel if it wasn't supported at launch." He then went on to make some modern God of War comparisons but that's just apples to oranges. Not really interesting.

The take away, as I see it, is obvious. Damn, gamers killed Days Gone 2 by not flocking to it like rapid monkeys on a banana tree. (Are monkey's really addicted to banana's like that? I feel like that's cartoon propaganda, gimme a sec- nah, at face value it would seem that they are. I don't care enough to really research.) Whereas other developers recently rode against Sony and their obsession with publishing nothing but constant blockbusters in a frankly unsustainable death march to perpetual improvement, Garvin's over here saying "No, all that stuff is fine. The gamers just failed to live up to their end of the bargain by mortgaging their house in order to buy my 7/10 game." And yeah, I suppose that's a very... a quite... well it's a point. That much is without doubt. Lets run with that a bit, shall we?

So video games live and die on the strength of their sales and engagement. That's what makes it clear to the investors that these developers know what they're doing and can make a buck. Therefore that does but the pressure of success onto the gamers to 'support' the game in order to keep everything hunky dory. Additionally, for some reason investors really care about week one sales over the lifetime performance most of the time, so I guess by Garvin's reasoning that means anyone who waits for a sale is a lazy scumbag who's prioritizing their bum selves over the poor company who makes the game. I guess I'm about to reveal myself as the embodiment of all scum them, because I haven't bought a game day one at full price since 2019. (And no, that game wasn't Days Gone. Are you kidding?) How could such inhuman waste like me be allowed to walk this earth without handcuffs and a cell?

Stepping back into my own perspective now, I actually have a reason why I don't buy games full price on day one (and Garvin should like this, it's a mild response with a sidestep!) I can't afford it. Yeah, funny that. I know it makes me the embodiment of Satan himself, but I just don't have the money to be buying every single videogame that I'm excited for just because I need to support the developer. I still pick up the games down the line most of the time, but I guess that doesn't count because it's accursed 'delayed money'. Consumers aren't endless piggy backs, or at least most of them aren't, and some of us really are quite careful about the things we spend our money on. In which case, and to draw from an example he himself used, let's examine why millions would flock to God of War to spend their day one money on over Days Gone. Let's keep this simple. Days Gone's Metacritic is 71. God of War's Metacritic is 94. (As of the writing of this blog) If I've got the spare cash to fork out on only one game at full price, it's going to God of War. But then, buying games day one is usually stupid anyway, and most informed purchases should occur after the game is out there so that we all know what we're buying exactly. Isn't that something developers should support? Empowering the consumer? Unless... unless they don't give a crap about the consumer beyond how much they can financially benefit them... but that's just alleged.

As one can imagine, Garvin's comments, though pre-empted by the man a bit, didn't hit the community well once they were unearthed. People seemingly didn't like getting the blame for the decisions of a multibillionaire company who've sunken into a habit of worshipping metacritic scores and record breaking sales over just solid games. But nones to worry, because once Garvin actually saw the responses and began to emphasise a bit with the customers, he realised the error of his view an- just kidding, he hasn't said jack. The current director of Bend Studio on the otherhand, Eric Jensen, laid out his staunch thanks to anyone who played Days Gone whether picked up "on day one, borrowed- from a friend, watched someone else play it or tried it on PS now." A wave of appreciation perhaps spurred on by the 15000 signature long petition to get Days Gone 2 greenlit again. (When all else fails, I guess) So slightly differing views on that topic, I'd say.

Personally I can see where this Garvin fellow is coming from, as a creative in an industry run by executives it can feel like the entire world is conspiring against you to watch you fail. And then when things don't work out as well as you think they should, it's easy to point fingers at what should seem like the logical culprits without really thinking things through. That and there's the fact that these comments were made in a casual chat with a friend, I understand; stupid, unrefined crap gets said sometimes, that's life. It just makes for supremely bad timing when the gaming world's optics are on Sony's culture and how that's influencing the industry. It just feels like a handwave to all his own contemporaries' experiences. Or maybe he's just saying what they're all thinking, and the wider game development world is as insular, bitter and toxic as the forums over at Resetera would have you believe. At this point I'd totally believe it, why not? It's not enough that the media labels us degenerate monsters-to-be, now developers might be looking at gamers as disloyal cheapskates. Well even if that is the case, jokes on you guys; I rock stingy like a supermodel!