Days Gone writer and director both leave Sony Bend Studio

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Bend Studio loses two developers

Days Gone
(Image credit: SIE Bend Studio)

Two high profile Days Gone developers have left Sony Bend Studios. 

Writer and director John Garvin, as well as game director Jeff Ross, have both left the AAA studio behind the 2019 action-adventure game, Days Gone. 

Both developers took to Twitter to announce their departure with Ross saying, "This week is my last at @PlayStation and @BendStudio. I'm incredibly proud of all the games I got to make, but also looking forward to new challenges ahead." It seems that the Days Gone director will be moving on to something new, there's a possibility he could be working with another studio, but Ross has yet to announce his future plans. 

Garvin went into further detail in his Twitter thread, he said, "Hi all, a quick announcement: I haven’t spoken about this before for various reasons, but I’m no longer with Bend Studio and haven’t been for over a year." Garvin explains that since Days Gone shipped, he has been focusing on personal projects, and generally enjoying a break from the games industry. 

He went on to say, "Over the past two decades, I helped the studio grow into a major developer, now part of the Sony family. Along the way, I wrote and directed every game from Syphon Filter through Days Gone, including two of my favorites, Resistance: Retribution, and Uncharted Golden Abyss. Finally, I want to thank the fans of Days Gone, Syphon Filter, Resistance: Retribution, and Uncharted Golden Abyss. You are the best. For me, these weren't just game projects, they were labors of love and you made all the hours it took us to create them worthwhile. Thank you!"

Days Gone launched in early 2019 for the PS4 and has recently had a PS5 upgrade which includes dynamic 4K and 60fps to maintain consistent performance. 

Check out our Days Gone guide for everything you need to survive the Freaker outbreak. 

Demi Williams
Freelance Writer

Demi is a freelance video games journalist with a particular love for Final Fantasy. She's written for GamesRadar, NME, TheGamer, and Gamespot in recent years.