Days Gone
A post-apocalyptic open-world game about a biker searching for his wife.
Days Gone is a 2019 action-adventure video game developed by Bend Studio and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Set in post-apocalyptic Oregon two years after a pandemic turned much of humanity into zombie-like creatures called Freakers, the game follows former outlaw biker Deacon St. John as he searches for his wife Sarah, who may still be alive. It was Bend Studio's first open-world project and its first original property since Syphon Filter (1999).
- Release
- PlayStation 4 (April 2019), Windows (May 2021)
- Sales
- Approximately 8 million units by early 2022 (as reported in Sony financial documents)
Lore & Background
Days Gone is set two years after a global pandemic turned a portion of humanity into vicious, zombie-like creatures known as Freakers. The player controls Deacon St. John, an outlaw-turned-drifter-bounty-hunter who discovers his wife Sarah, assumed dead, may still be alive. The game's narrative was inspired by World War Z, The Walking Dead, and Sons of Anarchy, while its storytelling method was inspired by several Netflix shows. Central Oregon was chosen as the setting due to its diverse terrain and landscapes.
Development took approximately six years, during which Bend Studio expanded nearly three-fold. The game was unveiled at E3 2016, with its release originally planned for 2018 but delayed several times. It was released for PlayStation 4 in April 2019 and for Windows in May 2021.
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. The story received a mixed reception. In 2021, it was reported that the development team had unsuccessfully pitched a sequel to Sony. A film adaptation is currently in development.
Reader's Guide
Days Gone is significant as Bend Studio's first open-world project and its first original property since Syphon Filter (1999), marking a major shift after decades of developing spinoff games for handheld consoles. The game's development required a nearly three-fold expansion of the studio over six years. Its legacy includes mixed critical reception but strong sales, with 7.32 million units sold by February 2022. The game's central mechanic—Deacon's motorcycle, which requires fuel and repairs—was a distinctive feature in the open-world genre. The horde system, where Freakers congregate into large groups that chase the player, was widely noted. Despite the lack of a sequel, a film adaptation is in development, indicating continued interest in the property. The game's setting in post-apocalyptic Oregon and its narrative influences from World War Z, The Walking Dead, and Sons of Anarchy helped define its tone.
Did You Know?
- Days Gone was Bend Studio's first open-world project and its first original property since Syphon Filter (1999).
- The game's development took approximately six years, during which Bend Studio expanded nearly three-fold.
- The game's narrative was inspired by World War Z, The Walking Dead, and Sons of Anarchy.
- A film adaptation of Days Gone is currently in development.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Days Gone?
Days Gone is a 2019 open-world action-adventure game created by Bend Studio and released by Sony for PlayStation 4, with a PC port arriving in 2021. You play as Deacon St. John, a former outlaw biker who rides across a desolate, post-pandemic Oregon hunting for his wife Sarah, who may still be breathing somewhere in the wilderness.
What are Days Gone's powers/role?
There are no supernatural powers here; your toolkit is a heavily modded motorcycle, a rotation of firearms and melee weapons, and a crafting system for gear, traps, and camp bases. The core loop is surviving Freaker hordes, scavenging for fuel and supplies, and upgrading your bike to keep moving through the open world.
How does Days Gone's story end?
Deacon finally tracks down Sarah and discovers she has been turned into a Freaker. The player then chooses whether to put her down or release her back into the wild, a decision that closes the main campaign (the sequel DLC 'Long Way Gone' resolves the thread differently).
Why is Days Gone important?
It marked Bend Studio's return to an original franchise after two decades, their first open-world title since Syphon Filter in 1999. The game went on to sell roughly eight million copies by early 2022, showing that a mid-size team could ship a polished, large-scale survival experience.
What are Freakers in Days Gone?
Freakers are the zombie-like infected that populate the world, born from a pandemic that collapsed civilization roughly two years before the story begins. They range from slow shamblers to fast, aggressive runners, and large hordes are the game's signature survival threat.
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