It’s been a long time since we last heard from Bend Studio, the team behind Days Gone and the classic Syphon Filter. This comes after their latest project, an open-world live service title, was abruptly cancelled following a restructuring at Sony.
According to a former Bend Studio employee, a factor in the project’s cancellation could have been a lack of significant progress after three years of development. That makes getting a glimpse into that development period particularly interesting, especially given the scarcity of official details.
Back when the game was in development, we got our first major details within a rough “first look”, as we discovered a few early screenshots featuring clues that pointed to the game’s setting. Now this is where our latest discovery comes in, as we have found early development animations that further corroborate our past theories.
Animations From Bend Studio’s “Mirror Pond”
The footage below comes from the showreel of a former Bend Studio animator who worked on the project. It reveals various animations for a third-person shooter that appear to lean into modern military warfare elements.
This is evidenced by the inclusion of tactical gadgets such as drones and detachable projectiles mounted on the character’s forearm, which are described as abilities for the player. As well as miscellaneous tests for objects like turrets.
While the footage may not be groundbreaking, it corroborates our earlier speculation about the game’s military theme. If you recall our previous report, early screenshots depicted a setting that aligned with this direction, notably featuring weapon-heavy UI concepts, and what appeared to be a player hub.
Prior to these discoveries, details about the project were scarce, aside from the fact that it was an open-world live-service title built on systems created for Days Gone.
Following the cancellation, new details emerged, like the working title of the game, which was ‘Mirror Pond’. We now also know that it was being built using a ‘proprietary in-house engine’. This likely pointed to the Decima Engine, famous for being used in major titles like Death Stranding and the Horizon franchise, and a change from the engine used in their last game, Unreal Engine.
Additional details regarding the title also surfaced from the resumes of former developers. These offer a glimpse into the game’s scope, listing a roster of over 30 different enemy types and a modular weapon system supporting more than 100 unique firearms.
In terms of mechanics, resumes mention ‘novel’ progression systems featuring multi-tiered XP, event and reputation rewards, and overall an extensive multiplayer experience. There was also a heavy emphasis on traversal, with an open world designed to be explored via vehicles and various other methods.
Sadly, Bend Studio is no stranger to cancelled projects. Following the release of Days Gone, the team worked on several initiatives that ended up being scrapped, including a direct sequel to Days Gone, a rumored Uncharted project, and finally, Mirror Pond.
Their latest release was a Days Gone remaster, a move that appears designed to keep the studio afloat and visible during this drought. However, reports indicate that Bend Studio is already hard at work on their next major project, and hopefully, this one will actually make it to release.
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