It’s been seven years since Bend Studio released its last title. Days Gone launched to mixed critical reception on the PlayStation 4 in April 2019, then built a strong, vocal community in the years that followed. Unfortunately, those years have been devoid of any new games from the studio, which has been marred by problems.
That could be about to change soon, as a new job listing suggests that Bend is about to ramp up marketing and community engagement for its “next game”.
The last few years have been tough for Bend Studio. After the release of Days Gone, the studio lost two of its directors and became embroiled in a bitter feud with one of them. It was later revealed that a pitch for Days Gone 2 was rejected, and the studio was pushed to work on an ill-fated live-service title. Sony canceled it in January last year, along with a God of War live-service game.
Bend remained defiant, vowing it still has plans to make “cool sh*t”, and it looks like we might not have to wait too much longer to find out what that cool sh*t is.
A new job posting has just been shared by the studio’s brand and communications manager, Kevin McAllister, seeking a community manager to “join the team for our next game.” While the role doesn’t begin until next January, it is open to someone joining “our passionate and creative team in crafting our next high-profile AAA title.” This is the first Bend-related post McAllister has made since May.
The official Bend Studio job specification says the successful candidate will engage with this new game’s community through social media, execute social strategies and community initiatives, and foster a positive and inclusive environment for Bend’s players.
Of course, this is all speculation at this point, but a community manager needs a community to foster, and with no game announced, there isn’t much to work with yet. Since this role is specifically targeted toward “our next game,” not a broad Bend Studio community, you have to imagine something will be announced relatively soon to give this person work to do.
While this does signal some kind of upcoming marketing push, AAA studios can onboard community staff 12 months before a public reveal to establish brand guidelines and coordinate with PlayStation’s global marketing teams.
Sony’s current marketing strategy is split down the middle. For established sequels, the publisher has actively favored shorter promotional windows, often holding back reveals until the final months before launch, much like Ghost of Yotei. However, completely new IPs or major licensed titles still get the long-lead treatment. Marvel’s Wolverine faced a long multi-year gap between its initial teaser and its actual release, while Naughty Dog has kept details on Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet slim since its 2024 announcement.
With Bend Studio onboarding community staff for a project that hasn’t even been formally named yet, the team could be prepping a sudden reveal, or simply establishing the social infrastructure for a multi-year marketing campaign.
