Has Days Gone Hit a Development Slump?

Since its announcement at Sony’s E3 conference two years ago, Days Gone has remained relatively out of the spotlight for a major upcoming title. Following the big reveal in June 2016, news about the game quickly fell quiet, and as a result it fell off my immediate radar of games in development. It wasn’t until the voice actor of protagonist Deacon St. John (Sam Witwer) said the next time we see Days Gone, it would be in a “big way”, that I was reminded of its absence.

After E3 2016, it was pretty much crickets in the Days Gone corner leading up to Sony’s E3 2017 conference last year. When the game finally had its moment on the stage, the lengthy gameplay trailer from SIE Bend Studio didn’t tell us anything that we didn’t already know, and I walked away from the new trailer feeling underwhelmed. To be honest, that entire conference was underwhelming, but that’s a rant for a different article.

There were rumors swirling that the game would be released on December 29, 2017, though clearly that was untrue, since we’re all still sitting here Days Gone-less. For the briefest moment, there was a Mandela Effect going around, where a few gamers swore they saw the December 29th date attached to the extended E3 2017 trailer (I’ve watched the trailer several times- this is also untrue). Sony Interactive Entertainment then set a release window for 2018, but if you check out Days Gone on PlayStation’s official website, there’s a TBC next to “Release Date”. The game was also noticeably absent from Paris Games Week last October and PlayStation Experience 2017 (PSX) in December.

So, what’s going on with Day’s Gone, which looks like the lovechild of The Last of Us and Dead Rising? Truthfully, no one knows, and I know I can’t be the only one experiencing some form of fatigue in relation to the anticipation surrounding this game.

Due to the lack of news and development updates, lately I’ve had this irrational fear that Days Gone will be cancelled. It would be more than a shame if that does happen. While the game’s post-apocalyptic genre and aesthetic make it difficult to shake the comparisons to The Last of Us, Days Gone looks like it can stand on its own, and like it has the potential to be another hit for the PlayStation.

I’m not sure why, but I’ve always had the impression that Days Gone was farther along in the development process than it actually was. Without any word from SIE Bend Studio, though, it’s impossible to tell where it is in development, or if it’s ready for a Q2, Q3, or Q4 2018 release. I will say, though, I’d be disappointed to have to wait until E3 this year for more information.

Days Gone is expected to release exclusively for the PlayStation 4.