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''Days Gone'' is a 2019
action-adventure An action-adventure game is a video game genre, video game hybrid genre that combines core elements from both the action game and adventure game genres. Definition An action adventure game can be defined as a game with a mix of elements f ...
video game A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual fe ...
developed by Bend Studio and published by
Sony Interactive Entertainment Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (SIE) is an American video game and digital entertainment company that is a major subsidiary of Japanese conglomerate Sony, Sony Group Corporation. It primarily operates the PlayStation brand of video game co ...
. The game was released for the
PlayStation 4 The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013, in ...
in April 2019, and
Windows Windows is a Product lining, product line of Proprietary software, proprietary graphical user interface, graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Microsoft. It is grouped into families and subfamilies that cater to particular sec ...
in May 2021. A
remastered A remaster is a change in the sound or image quality of previously created forms of media, whether Mastering (audio), audiophonic, Cinematography, cinematic, or Videography, videographic. The resulting product is said to be remastered. The term ...
version for
PlayStation 5 The PlayStation 5 (PS5) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It was announced as the successor to the PlayStation 4 in April 2019, was launched on November 12, 2020, in Australia, Japan, New Zealand, North ...
was released in April 2025 alongside a DLC version for Windows / PC. ''Days Gone'' is set in
post-apocalyptic Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction are genres of speculative fiction in which the Earth's (or another planet's) civilization is collapsing or has collapsed. The apocalypse event may be climatic, such as runaway climate change; astronom ...
Oregon Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...
two years after the start of a pandemic that turned a portion of humanity into vicious zombie-like creatures. Former
outlaw An outlaw, in its original and legal meaning, is a person declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, all legal protection was withdrawn from the criminal, so anyone was legally empowered to persecute or kill them. ...
-turned-drifter Deacon St. John discovers his wife Sarah, having been assumed dead, may still be alive and goes on a quest to find her. The game is played from a
third-person perspective Narration is the use of a written or spoken commentary to storytelling, convey a narrative, story to an audience. Narration is conveyed by a narrator: a specific person, or unspecified literary voice, developed by the creator of the story to del ...
in which the player can explore an
open world In video games, an open world is a virtual world in which the Gamer, player can approach objectives freely, as opposed to a world with more linear and structured gameplay. Notable games in this category include ''The Legend of Zelda (video game ...
environment. Players can use firearms,
melee weapon This is a list of notable types of weapons that were used in warfare, and more broadly in combat, prior to the advent of the early modern period, i.e., approximately prior to the start of the 16th century. It therefore excludes objects that may b ...
s, and
improvised weapons An improvised weapon is an object that was not designed to be used as a weapon but can be put to that use. They are generally used for self-defence or if the person is otherwise unarmed. In some cases, improvised weapons are commonly used by at ...
, and can use stealth to defend themselves against hostile humans and cannibalistic creatures known as Freakers. A major game mechanic is Deacon's motorcycle, which is used as the player character's main mode of transportation. ''Days Gone'' was Bend Studio's first open-world project, its first original property since '' Syphon Filter'' (1999), and its first development project for home consoles after spending decades working on spinoff games for handheld consoles. The game's development took approximately six years; Bend Studio expanded nearly three-fold to support it. Major sources of inspiration for ''Days Gone'' were '' World War Z'', '' The Walking Dead'' and ''
Sons of Anarchy ''Sons of Anarchy'' is an American Action film, action crime drama television series created by Kurt Sutter for FX (TV channel), FX. Originally aired from September 3, 2008, to December 9, 2014, ''Sons of Anarchy'' follows the lives of a close-k ...
''. The game was unveiled at
E3 2016 The Electronic Entertainment Expo 2016 (E3 2016) was the 22nd E3, during which hardware manufacturers and software developers and publishers from the video game industry presented new and upcoming products to attendees, primarily retailers and m ...
; its release was originally planned for 2018 but was delayed several times. Upon release, ''Days Gone'' received mixed reviews from critics, who criticized the game's mission design and technical issues but praised the graphics, artificial intelligence, and Sam Witwer's performance as Deacon, while the story received a mixed reception. The game had sold 7.32 million units by February 2022. In 2021, it was reported that the development team had unsuccessfully pitched a sequel to Sony.


Gameplay

''Days Gone'' is a third-person
action-adventure An action-adventure game is a video game genre, video game hybrid genre that combines core elements from both the action game and adventure game genres. Definition An action adventure game can be defined as a game with a mix of elements f ...
game set in a
post-apocalyptic Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction are genres of speculative fiction in which the Earth's (or another planet's) civilization is collapsing or has collapsed. The apocalypse event may be climatic, such as runaway climate change; astronom ...
open world In video games, an open world is a virtual world in which the Gamer, player can approach objectives freely, as opposed to a world with more linear and structured gameplay. Notable games in this category include ''The Legend of Zelda (video game ...
. The player controls Deacon St. John, an outlaw-turned-drifter-bounty-hunter who prefers life on the road to wilderness encampments. The game takes place two years after a pandemic killed almost all of humanity and transformed millions of others into "Freakers", mindless,
zombie A zombie (Haitian French: ; ; Kikongo: ''zumbi'') is a mythological undead corporeal revenant created through the reanimation of a corpse. In modern popular culture, zombies appear in horror genre works. The term comes from Haitian folkl ...
-like creatures that evolve quickly. Swarmers, a nocturnal type of Freaker, hide in their nests during daytime but often congregate, wander around, and search for food and water at night. Players can lure Swarmers toward other enemies, causing the two groups to fight one another. Other enemies include Newts, who are infected adolescents and opportunistic hunters who only attack Deacon when he enters their territory or has poor health. The game includes infected wildlife (called Runners and Ragers) and hostile human enemies. Players can be overwhelmed by hordes and must keep their distance. Deacon can use firearms, melee weapons, traps, explosives and
choke point In military strategy, a choke point (or chokepoint), or sometimes bottleneck, is a geographical feature on land such as a valley, defile or bridge, or maritime passage through a critical waterway such as a strait, which an armed force is for ...
s to kill Freakers. The game is set in an open world in the
Pacific Northwest The Pacific Northwest (PNW; ) is a geographic region in Western North America bounded by its coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains to the east. Though no official boundary exists, the most common ...
. Players can freely explore the world on foot or using a motorcycle. The bike consumes fuel and becomes disabled if excessively damaged. Players must regularly refuel the bike at gas stations and camps, and repair it using collected scraps. Deacon must establish trust with settlement camps and earn "camp credits" by completing missions, and by completing bounties and selling food. As the level of trust increases, players can purchase new weapons, supplies and motorcycle parts that can be used to enhance its speed, durability and maneuverability. The bike's appearance can be customized. As players explore the world, they must collect valuable resources and components for crafting weapons and supplies. In addition to the main quests, the game has a number of side objectives, which include clearing Freaker nests, rescuing hostages, clearing enemy camps, capturing bounty targets, and restoring power to National Emergency Response Organization (NERO) checkpoints. Inside NERO checkpoints, players can use NERO injectors to boost Deacon's health; stamina, used when Deacon is sprinting or dodging; and focus, which allows Deacon to temporarily slow down time while aiming his ranged weapons. Fast travel consumes fuel and causes time to pass. Before players can fast travel, they must destroy all Freaker nests between the two fast travel points. As players complete missions and objectives, they gain skill points (XP). With sufficient XP, players can level up and unlock new abilities, allowing them to increase the efficiency of Deacon's melee weapons and ranged weapons, and to enhance his survival skills. Players can complete objectives in multiple ways, such as by using stealth tactics to distract enemies or silently kill them from behind using a combat knife. Noise suppressors can be attached to various firearms to prevent attracting nearby enemies. Deacon can use "survival vision", which, once activated, highlights items of interest and the locations of nearby enemies. Players can use Deacon's binoculars to locate enemies. Alternatively, players have access to a wide variety of firearms such as pistols, shotguns, sniper rifles, submachine guns and crossbows. Different weapons have different statistics and higher-tier weapons are generally more powerful. Purchased weapons can be stored in a gun locker, though weapons that are picked up in the field cannot be put into storage. Players can use explosives such as
proximity mine A land mine, or landmine, is an explosive weapon often concealed under or camouflaged on the ground, and designed to destroy or disable enemy targets as they pass over or near it. Land mines are divided into two types: anti-tank mines, whic ...
s and
grenade A grenade is a small explosive weapon typically thrown by hand (also called hand grenade), but can also refer to a Shell (projectile), shell (explosive projectile) shot from the muzzle of a rifle (as a rifle grenade) or a grenade launcher. A mod ...
s, and may craft
molotov cocktail A Molotov cocktail (among several other names – ''see '') is a hand-thrown incendiary weapon consisting of a frangible container filled with flammable substances and equipped with a Fuse (explosives), fuse (typically a glass bottle filled wit ...
s to defeat enemies. Melee weapons can be used but they will break if not repaired regularly.


Plot

A virus has decimated the globe, turning a large portion of humanity into violently feral creatures called Freakers. In
Oregon Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...
, outlaw bikers of the Mongrels Motorcycle Club Deacon St. John ( Sam Witwer) and William "Boozer" Gray ( Jim Pirri), alongside Deacon's wife Sarah Whitaker ( Courtnee Draper), attempt to flee to safety. They find a NERO helicopter that has room for two more occupants. While Sarah boards the helicopter, Boozer is injured so Deacon stays behind to help him after promising to reunite with his wife. Two years later, Deacon and Boozer are working in the
Pacific Northwest The Pacific Northwest (PNW; ) is a geographic region in Western North America bounded by its coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains to the east. Though no official boundary exists, the most common ...
as mercenaries. Sarah is assumed dead after the NERO refugee camp she was traveling to was overrun by Freakers. The two men plan to head north in search of a better life, but they are attacked by a gang of cultists, the Rippers. Boozer's arm is burned in the attack, so Deacon searches for medical supplies to help him recover. Later, the two learn that the Rippers have placed a bounty on their heads. Deacon sees a NERO helicopter and follows it, eventually meeting James O'Brian (Bernardo de Paula), the researcher who evacuated Sarah two years earlier. O'Brian reveals that Sarah's helicopter was diverted to a different camp mid-flight, leaving the possibility that she is still alive. While running errands for Ada Tucker ( Dee Dee Rescher), a former prison warden and the leader of the Hot Springs work camp, Deacon finds Lisa Jackson (
Laura Bailey Laura Bailey (born May 28, 1981) is an American voice actress. She made her voice acting debut as Trunks (Dragon Ball), Kid Trunks in the Funimation dub of ''Dragon Ball Z'' and has since voiced List of Gunslinger Girl characters#First Generati ...
& Alexa Rose), a teenage girl and returns her to Tucker, discovering that they used to be neighbors. Lisa later flees the Hot Spring after being subjected to forced labor under Tucker's regime and is captured and tortured by the Rippers, forcing Deacon to rescue her. Unwilling to send Lisa back to the Hot Springs, Deacon arranges for her to shelter with Rikki Patil (Nishi Munshi), a former drifter and member of the Lost Lake camp led by "Iron" Mike Wilcox ( Eric Allan Kramer) and Raymond "Skizzo" Sarkozi (
Jason Spisak Jason Spisak () is an American actor, producer, and computer programmer. He is also the co-leader of the Symphony OS Project and the designer of Symphony's unique Mezzo desktop environment and wrote the Laws of Interface Design, to which the proje ...
), the former of which parted on bad terms with Deacon over his violent behavior and dubious morals. Boozer's condition worsens and, in an act of desperation, Deacon sneaks into Lost Lake to steal medical supplies but is caught. Despite the bad blood, Deacon is able to convince Iron Mike to allow Boozer to stay and later learns that Lisa fled from the camp and remains missing. As a doctor amputates Boozer's gangrenous arm, O'Brian contacts Deacon and offers to help him find Sarah if Deacon aids him in NERO's ongoing research project. Skizzo is distrustful of the Rippers' uneasy alliance with Lost Lake; he makes his own deal and turns Deacon over to the cult. Deacon discovers that the Rippers' leader "Carlos" is actually Jessie Williamson ( Scott Whyte), a former member of Deacon and Boozer's MC who blames the pair for his branding and subsequent excommunication after Jessie killed another member in a drug-fueled rage. Discovered and freed by Lisa, who has since joined the Rippers, Deacon escapes from the Rippers' camp and returns to Lost Lake only to find it under attack by Jessie and the Rippers. Deacon exposes Skizzo's betrayal to Iron Mike, and Iron Mike talks down Jessie, ending the attack while Skizzo is arrested. With Boozer's help, Deacon uses explosives to destroy the dam above the Rippers' camp, flooding the compound and drowning most of the Rippers while Deacon kills Jessie in single combat. After Deacon returns, Iron Mike reveals he released Skizzo to spare his life. Deacon realizes that Sarah, a government researcher with federal security clearance, would have been prioritized during a camp evacuation, and O'Brian confirms that she was moved to a military outpost at Crater Lake, which is now controlled by the Deschutes County Militia. He warns Deacon that the Freakers are rapidly evolving and becoming more dangerous. Deacon meets Derrick Kouri ( Phil Morris), a Captain for the militia wearing Sarah's Mongrels ring, and is brought back to the Crater Lake outpost. Deacon then wins over the militia's leader, Colonel Matthew Garret ( Daniel Riordan), and reunites with Sarah, who is working to create a bio-weapon to destroy the Freakers. Deacon and Sarah decide to obtain a DNA sequencer at her old lab, where they discover that her research was used to develop the Freaker virus. Back at Crater Lake, Sarah reveals that she is working to cure the Freakers rather than destroy them. Deacon suggests they finish the cure at her new lab, but an increasingly paranoid Garret puts Sarah into protective custody. Garret, shown over time to be a religious fanatic, reveals that he believes other human factions are a bigger danger than the Freakers, and declares a holy war against all other camps. Deacon attempts to save Sarah but is caught and apprehended by Skizzo, who has joined the militia and lies that Deacon was a murderer outcast from their last camp. Although Garret orders his execution, Deacon is spared and released by a sympathetic Kouri, who defects from the militia. Returning to Lost Lake just in time to assist in the defense against the militia's attack, Deacon finds a mortally wounded Iron Mike who dies shortly after. Deacon rallies the remaining members of the Lost Lake camp and, with the support of other nearby settlements, retaliates against the militia by attacking their headquarters with a truck bomb. Deacon kills Skizzo and Sarah poisons Garret, ending the militia. Deacon, Sarah, Boozer, and their friends settle at Lost Lake, while Lisa is revealed to have become a drifter collecting Freaker bounties. Sometime later, O'Brian contacts Deacon for a face-to-face meeting and reveals that NERO always knew about the virus's
mutagenic In genetics, a mutagen is a physical or chemical agent that permanently changes genetic material, usually DNA, in an organism and thus increases the frequency of mutations above the natural background level. As many mutations can cause cancer in ...
effects and that O'Brian himself is a Freaker, mutated but still in control of his thoughts and actions. He warns Deacon that NERO is coming and that nothing will stop them.


Development

''Days Gone'' was developed by Bend Studio, one of Sony's first-party developers. The game's core development team included studio director Christopher Reese, game director Jeff Ross, and creative director John Garvin, all of whom had worked at Bend Studio since the 1990s, when it was creating '' Syphon Filter''. ''Days Gone'' is the company's first
open world In video games, an open world is a virtual world in which the Gamer, player can approach objectives freely, as opposed to a world with more linear and structured gameplay. Notable games in this category include ''The Legend of Zelda (video game ...
game, its first original
intellectual property Intellectual property (IP) is a category of property that includes intangible creations of the human intellect. There are many types of intellectual property, and some countries recognize more than others. The best-known types are patents, co ...
since ''Syphon Filter'' (1999), and its first game to be released for home consoles since '' Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow'' (2007). Full production of ''Days Gone'' commenced in early 2015 and the game's development cycle lasted for six years. The developers were inspired by '' World War Z'', '' The Walking Dead'' and ''
Sons of Anarchy ''Sons of Anarchy'' is an American Action film, action crime drama television series created by Kurt Sutter for FX (TV channel), FX. Originally aired from September 3, 2008, to December 9, 2014, ''Sons of Anarchy'' follows the lives of a close-k ...
'', which were popular at the beginning of the game's development, during which Bend Studio significantly expanded and the development team increased from around 50 to 130. The game's development was completed on March 10, 2019, and Bend Studio confirmed it had been declared
gold Gold is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol Au (from Latin ) and atomic number 79. In its pure form, it is a brightness, bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal. Chemically, gold is a transition metal ...
, indicating the game was being prepared for duplication and release.


Design

During the game's pre-production, the team decided it would be an open world project. The game is set in
Central Oregon Central Oregon is a geographic region in the U.S. state of Oregon and is traditionally considered to be made up of Deschutes, Jefferson, and Crook counties. Other definitions include larger areas, often encompassing areas to the north towards t ...
, where Bend Studio is located. According to Garvin, Central Oregon has diverse terrain and landscapes ranging from snowy mountains to deserts, making it an ideal setting for a sandbox title. According to lead designer Eric Jensen, the open world mechanics of ''Days Gone'' were designed by a small team of five or six developers who "had to think smart and efficient with all of our design choices knowing the manpower limitations". The studio initially underestimated the manpower needed to develop the project, thinking a team of 50 people would suffice. While the game is open world, the team omitted a good deal of filler content. Most of the game's missions are scripted and connected to its main story. The team's goal was to replicate the successes of linear games such as the ''
Uncharted ''Uncharted'' is an action-adventure video game series and media franchise published by Sony Interactive Entertainment and developed by Naughty Dog. Created by Amy Hennig, the ''Uncharted'' franchise follows a group of treasure hunters who trav ...
'' series in an open world setting. While the enemies featured in the game are similar to zombies, Bend Studio named them "Freakers". The Swarmers in the game were inspired by "a guy who was doing a YouTube video where he was moving weird", while the Newts were inspired by contortionists. Swarmers may congregate to form a horde of 50 to 500. To better optimize the horde, Swarmers are divided into small clusters. If they are close to the player, some of these horde clusters will split off from the main group, making them easier for players to manage. In a large horde, there are eight Swarmer character models; the team modified the height of each one to make their appearance and behaviors unique. The team spent a lot of time working on the group
artificial intelligence Artificial intelligence (AI) is the capability of computer, computational systems to perform tasks typically associated with human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception, and decision-making. It is a field of re ...
(AI) to ensure the horde would not only charge at Deacon in a straight line but would also make use of the terrain to overwhelm the player character. ''Days Gone'' has multiple, intertwined stories, which allows players to switch between narratives. The team wanted to keep the narrative interesting and fresh. The game constantly keeps track of player's progress. The team were inspired by
Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
's menu. The game initially allowed Deacon to make decisions that can change the narrative; this feature was removed from the final game because the team had difficulty showing players the impacts of these decisions. According to Garvin, by removing these narrative choices, Deacon's personality would be better reflected because some of these choices may allow him to commit egregious or cruel actions that do not fit his personality. According to Garvin, the game's main theme is "redemption". The journey would see Deacon, who is often seen as an outsider, grow and evolve into a capable leader. Garvin added that despite the game's post-apocalyptic setting, the team aimed to deliver a more hopeful theme because the story of Deacon concerns the way he can make the world a better place and explores the idea that surviving is not the same as living. The game's story and themes were inspired by '' The Road'', '' The Passage'' and '' I Am Legend''. Because Deacon is a member of a motorcycle club, the team researched the biker gang
Mongols Motorcycle Club The Mongols Motorcycle Club, also known as the Mongol Brotherhood or Mongol Nation, is an international outlaw motorcycle club. Originally formed in Montebello, California, in 1969, the club is headquartered in Southern California.The Purge: Anarchy'', invited Nathan Whitehead to compose the music for ''Days Gone'', which was performed by the Nashville Scoring Orchestra and soloists. Whitehead spent two years working on the game's soundtrack. The instrumentation is centered around guitar, which Whitehead said was an "obvious choice" for both the character of Deacon—a bounty hunter and biker—and for the Pacific Northwest setting. Whitehead added that the game's music, which combines " folk Americana and a touch of rock elements", is a good fit for the setting. To accommodate the video game medium's interactivity, the score for ''Days Gone'' was built up in layers that the
game engine A game engine is a software framework primarily designed for the development of video games which generally includes relevant libraries and support programs such as a level editor. The "engine" terminology is akin to the term " software engine" u ...
could add or remove. As a result, the score dynamically changes in accordance with the gameplay. The final soundtrack features songs by
Lewis Capaldi Lewis Marc Capaldi (born 7 October 1996) is a Scottish singer-songwriter and musician. In March 2019, his single "Someone You Loved" (2018) topped the UK Singles Chart where it remained for seven weeks, and in November 2019, it reached number ...
, Jack Savoretti, Billy Raffoul and Zander Reese.


Release

Publisher
Sony Interactive Entertainment Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (SIE) is an American video game and digital entertainment company that is a major subsidiary of Japanese conglomerate Sony, Sony Group Corporation. It primarily operates the PlayStation brand of video game co ...
unveiled ''Days Gone'' at
E3 2016 The Electronic Entertainment Expo 2016 (E3 2016) was the 22nd E3, during which hardware manufacturers and software developers and publishers from the video game industry presented new and upcoming products to attendees, primarily retailers and m ...
. While the game was originally planned for a 2018 release, it was delayed to the following year. The release was postponed from February 22, 2019, to April 26 in the same year to avoid competing with other triple-A titles such as '' Metro: Exodus'' and ''
Anthem An anthem is a musical composition of celebration, usually used as a symbol for a distinct group, particularly the national anthems of countries. Originally, and in music theory and religious contexts, it also refers more particularly to sho ...
''. As part of Sony's efforts to bring more of its first-party content to
personal computer A personal computer, commonly referred to as PC or computer, is a computer designed for individual use. It is typically used for tasks such as Word processor, word processing, web browser, internet browsing, email, multimedia playback, and PC ...
s following '' Horizon Zero Dawn'', ''Days Gone'' released for
Windows Windows is a Product lining, product line of Proprietary software, proprietary graphical user interface, graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Microsoft. It is grouped into families and subfamilies that cater to particular sec ...
via
Steam Steam is water vapor, often mixed with air or an aerosol of liquid water droplets. This may occur due to evaporation or due to boiling, where heat is applied until water reaches the enthalpy of vaporization. Saturated or superheated steam is inv ...
and
Epic Games Store The Epic Games Store is a video game digital distribution service and storefront operated by Epic Games. It launched in December 2018 as a software client, for Microsoft Windows and macOS, and online storefront. Android and iOS versions of t ...
on May 18, 2021 and via GOG on October 25, 2023. Upon release, Bend Studio supported the game with free
downloadable content content (DLC) is additional content created for an already released video game, distributed through the Internet by the game's publisher. It can be added for no extra cost or as a form of video game monetization, enabling the publisher to gain ad ...
. In June 2019, Survival difficulty mode, which modifies the
head-up display A head-up display, or heads-up display, also known as a HUD () or head-up guidance system (HGS), is any transparent display that presents data without requiring users to look away from their usual viewpoints. The origin of the name stems from a ...
and disables options to fast travel, was introduced. This was followed by 12 weekly challenges, in each of which players' performances are classified into Gold, Silver and Bronze rankings. Players receive credits that can be used to purchase new characters and other accessories. In September 2019, Bend added
New Game Plus New Game Plus (also New Game+ or NG+) is an unlockable video game mode available in some video game titles that allows the player to restart the game's story with all or some of the items or experience gained in the first playthrough. New Game ...
and the MB-150, a sniper rifle from the ''Syphon Filter'' series, into the game. Bike tanks, decorations, and frame paint inspired by '' Death Stranding'' were released in November 2019. On February 12, 2025, Sony announced that a remastered version of ''Days Gone'', exclusive to the PlayStation 5, would release on April 25, 2025. In addition to introducing various graphical improvements and accessibility features, the Remastered version of the game also added a
permadeath Permadeath or permanent death is a game mechanic in both tabletop games and video games in which player characters who lose all of their health are considered dead and cannot be used anymore. Depending on the situation, this could require the p ...
mode and a
speedrun Speedrunning is the act of playing a video game, or section of a video game, with the goal of completing it as fast as possible. Speedrunning often involves following planned routes, which may incorporate sequence breaking and exploit glitch ...
mode, as well as "Horde Assault", which tasks players to survive endless waves of Freakers for as long as possible. The three new modes will also be available for PC players as part of the ''Broken Roads'' downloadable content pack.


Reception


Critical reception

''Days Gone'' received "mixed or average" reviews from critics for the PS4 version, and "generally favorable" reviews for the PC version, according to
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website
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. Additionally, 54% of critics recommended the game, according to OpenCritic. The game's
open world In video games, an open world is a virtual world in which the Gamer, player can approach objectives freely, as opposed to a world with more linear and structured gameplay. Notable games in this category include ''The Legend of Zelda (video game ...
and design received mixed reviews. Matthew Kato from ''
Game Informer ''Game Informer'' (''GI'' is an American monthly Video game journalism, video game magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of video games and video game console, game consoles. It debuted in August 1991, when the video game reta ...
'' was disappointed by the lack of content in the world; he said most side objectives were filler content that was neither engaging nor interesting. This sentiment was shared by ''
Eurogamer ''Eurogamer'' is a British video game journalism website launched in 1999 alongside parent company Gamer Network. In 2008, it started in the formerly eponymous trade fair EGX (Eurogamer Expo until 2013) organised by its parent company. Fr ...
''s Malindy Hetfeld, who said in ''Days Gone'', players are "doing the exact same thing, in the exact same way, for hours on end." Leon Hurley from ''
GamesRadar ''GamesRadar+'' (formerly ''GamesRadar'') is an entertainment website for video game-related news, previews, and reviews. It is owned by Future plc. In late 2014, Future Publishing-owned sites ''Total Film'', '' SFX'', '' Edge'' and ''Computer ...
'' said the open world design is fairly unoriginal despite being entertaining. ''
Shacknews ''Shacknews'' is an American video game journalism website founded in 1996. It that publishes news articles, reviews, and cheat codes. History ''Shacknews'' was founded in 1996 by Steve Gibson. The website, originally named 'Quakeholio', was ...
''s Bill Lavoy liked the way the game remembers the player's actions through its systems. For instance, once players clear out a horde, it does not respawn, and the area becomes safer. Lavoy, however, noted the small scale of the map and criticized the way ''Days Gone'' uses environmental obstacles to force players to navigate longer distances. Several reviewers felt that the world is empty and sparse because the game's locations were not given a strong visual identity or backstory, making exploration meaningless. Defeating a horde was often singled out as one of the game's highlights. Kato described the experience as "terrifying" and "tense", and applauded the artificial intelligence for being unpredictable, meaning that different trials may lead to vastly different outcomes. Kallie Plagge from ''
GameSpot ''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady, and Jon Epstein. In addition ...
'' liked fighting the horde, calling it "exhilarating" and "satisfying," though she criticized several campaign missions that tasked the players to clear these hordes in a nearly back-to-back manner, making the experience exhausting. Stealth mechanics were commonly criticized by reviewers for being too basic and boring. Dean Takahashi disliked the clunkiness of the shooting mechanics, since the game lacked an option to shoot backward while being chased by Freakers. Both Takahashi and Hurley liked the progression system, and remarked that Deacon gradually became more powerful in the game. The motorcycle, which was the only way to navigate the world, received mixed opinions, with Hurley adding that he slowly grew attached to Deacon's bike because the game required the player to care for it during the campaign. However, the need to refuel the bike discouraged some reviewers from exploring the game's world, and some regarded it as a major source of tedium. Many reviewers were not impressed by the Freakers because of their similarity to zombies. The story received mixed reviews. Writing for ''
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'', Takahashi said the story is engaging but that he was disappointed that some storylines were not completely resolved by the end of the game. Lavoy said the story and some of its elements were too long. Some critics said the story gradually became more interesting as more characters and more emotional moments were introduced. Andrew Webster from ''
The Verge ''The Verge'' is an American Technology journalism, technology news website headquarters, headquartered in Lower Manhattan, New York City and operated by Vox Media. The website publishes news, feature stories, guidebooks, product reviews, cons ...
'' called the story bland and compared the game unfavorably to ''
The Last of Us ''The Last of Us'' is a 2013 action-adventure game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. Players control Joel, a smuggler tasked with escorting a teenage girl, Ellie, across a post-apocalyptic United States ...
'', which was also published by Sony. Hetfield criticized the interwoven storylines, which he said distracted players from completing the central mission. Narrative missions were also criticized for lacking impact, consequences and any form of meaningful conclusion. O'Brien was unimpressed by the game's overly serious tone. While she liked the supporting characters, she said the antagonists were one-dimensional. Deacon as a protagonist received mixed reactions; Takahashi described him as an "interesting and flawed character," and enjoyed seeing Deacon grow and evolve. Plagge was critical of Deacon as a character, calling him "selfish" and adding that the story is centered around "validating his actions and feelings above all else." Webster disliked Deacon's personality and said he found connecting with the character very difficult. Witwer's performance was generally praised by critics. The game was criticized for its technical issues. Kato said the game lacks the polish found in Sony's other first-party games. Takahashi criticized the game's bugs and unstable
frame rate Frame rate, most commonly expressed in frame/s, or FPS, is typically the frequency (rate) at which consecutive images (Film frame, frames) are captured or displayed. This definition applies to film and video cameras, computer animation, and moti ...
. The game's frequent loading screens, which appear between gameplay and
cutscene A cutscene or event scene (sometimes in-game cinematic or in-game movie) is a sequence in a video game that is not interactive, interrupting the gameplay. Such scenes are used to show conversations between characters, set the mood, reward the ...
s, were also criticized.


Sales

''Days Gone'' was the best-selling physical game in the United Kingdom in the week of release. It went on to be the best-selling software release in all the format sales charts for three consecutive weeks. In Japan, ''Days Gone'' outsold two other PlayStation 4-exclusive games at launch, ''
God of War A war god in mythology associated with war, combat, or bloodshed. They occur commonly in polytheism, polytheistic religions. Unlike most gods and goddesses in polytheistic religions, monotheistic deities have traditionally been portrayed in their ...
'' and '' Horizon Zero Dawn''. ''Days Gone'' exceeded the lifetime Japanese sales of ''God of War'' and ''
The Last Guardian ''The Last Guardian'' is a 2016 action-adventure game developed by Japan Studio and GenDesign and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 4. Players control a boy who befriends a giant legendary creature named Trico. ...
'', another exclusive PlayStation 4 game. In the first three days after its launch, ''Days Gone'' sold approximately 114,319 physical units. In North America, ''Days Gone'' was the second-best-selling video game for April 2019, behind ''
Mortal Kombat 11 ''Mortal Kombat 11'' is a 2019 fighting game developed by NetherRealm Studios and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. It is the eleventh main installment in the ''Mortal Kombat'' series and a sequel to '' Mortal Kombat X'' (20 ...
'', making it the seventh-highest debut in sales for a Sony-published title, and the best-selling game developed by Bend Studio. By June 2019, ''Days Gone'' was the eighth-best-selling video game of the year. It was the 19th-best-selling game of 2019 in the US. According to game director Jeff Ross, ''Days Gone'' sold more units than all of Bend Studio's previous games combined. In January 2022, Days Gone's director Jeff Ross claimed on Twitter that the game had sold over 8 million units by late 2020. However, this stat was disputed by several gaming outlets. In December 2023,
Insomniac Games Insomniac Games, Inc. is an American video game developer based in Burbank, California, and part of PlayStation Studios. It was founded in 1994 by Ted Price as Xtreme Software, and was renamed Insomniac Games a year later. The company is most ...
were the victims of a ransomware attack, causing private data and information to be leaked publicly. From this leak, it was revealed that by February 2022, ''Days Gone'' had sold 7.32 million units.


Awards


Possible sequel

On April 9, 2021,
Jason Schreier Jason Schreier (born May 10, 1987) is an American journalist and author who primarily covers the video game industry. He worked as a news reporter for ''Kotaku'' from 2011 to 2020 and was recognized for several Investigative journalism, investig ...
of
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revealed Bend Studio had pitched a sequel to ''Days Gone'' but that the first game's mixed critical reception and lengthy development process caused Sony to reject the proposal. Shortly afterward, Ross confirmed ''Days Gone 2'' had been pitched to Sony but that many of the details could not be confirmed due to a
non-disclosure agreement A non-disclosure agreement (NDA), also known as a confidentiality agreement (CA), confidential disclosure agreement (CDA), proprietary information agreement (PIA), or secrecy agreement (SA), is a legal contract or part of a contract between at le ...
. He revealed that part of the plan for the sequel was a "shared universe with co-op play," which was not included in the original ''Days Gone'' due to staffing constraints. While appearing on a podcast with
David Jaffe David Scott Jaffe (born April 13, 1971) is an American video game, video game designer best known for directing the ''Twisted Metal'' and God of War (franchise), ''God of War'' series. In 2009, he was chosen by IGN as one of the top 100 game cr ...
, the creator of the ''
God of War A war god in mythology associated with war, combat, or bloodshed. They occur commonly in polytheism, polytheistic religions. Unlike most gods and goddesses in polytheistic religions, monotheistic deities have traditionally been portrayed in their ...
'' franchise, Garvin said, "If you love a game, buy it at fucking full price," and implied ''Days Gone'' did not receive a sequel partly because it did not turn enough profit. Garvin came under fire for his remarks; commenters said ''Days Gone'' had already benefitted from fan support during its release, and that it was unreasonable to ask someone to spend US$70 on an unknown game. Others noted that Sony ultimately controls sales of PlayStation games and offers free demos, and the blame could not be placed entirely on the purchasers. Following Garvin's comments, Jensen thanked players for their support, no matter when they had purchased or played it. According to David Jaffe, Shawn Layden, then chairman of
SIE Worldwide Studios PlayStation Studios (formerly SCE Worldwide Studios and SIE Worldwide Studios) is a division of Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) that oversees the video game development at the studios owned by SIE. The division was established as SCE Worl ...
, had vigorously supported ''Days Gone''. But as soon as Layden left his role in September 2019, Jaffe said "''Days Gone'' was dead". Jaffe said that when trying to pitch a sequel "it was just an uphill battle the whole time" and Ross stated that Sony requested if Sony intellectual properties could be used instead like ''Syphon Filter''. Ross said the sequel would have explored a more technical direction among detailing other features. Ross claimed that the game sold over eight million copies, yet was treated as a "disappointment" by local studio management. This was in response to the announcement that ''
Ghost of Tsushima In folklore, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a dead person or non-human animal that is believed by some people to be able to appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts vary widely, from an invisible presence to translucen ...
'', another SIE first-party game (developed by
Sucker Punch Productions Sucker Punch Productions, LLC is an American video game developer based in Bellevue, Washington. It is best known for creating character action games for PlayStation consoles such as ''Sly Cooper'', ''Infamous (series), Infamous'', and ''Ghost ...
), had sold over eight million copies. The sales numbers provided by Ross were disputed as they were based on a PlayStation Trophy data tracking site. Ross went on to say that whilst at Bend Studio he saw ''Days Gone'' sell over five million copies, the tracking site at the time suggested 5.8 million copies sold.


Film adaptation

In August 2022, ''Deadline'' reported that, at the time, a film adaptation of the game was in the works with PlayStation Productions and Vendetta Productions producing the movie.and Sam Heughan was in consideration to play the role of Deacon St. John.


References


External links

* * {{Bend Studio 2019 video games Action-adventure games Golden Joystick Award winners 2010s horror video games Motorcycle video games Open-world video games PlayStation 4 games PlayStation 4 Pro enhanced games PlayStation 5 games PlayStation 5 Pro enhanced games Post-apocalyptic video games Single-player video games Sony Interactive Entertainment games Stealth video games Survival video games Third-person shooters Unreal Engine 4 games Video games about bounty hunters Video games about cults Video games about viral outbreaks Video games about zombies Video games developed in the United States Video games set in Oregon Windows games Works about outlaw motorcycle clubs Bend Studio games