Sony's Bend Studio Prepares Cooperative Multiplayer Game for 2027

2026-11-02 companies

Bend, Sunday, 1 November 2026.
Sony subsidiary Bend Studio plans to unveil a third-person cooperative title in 2027, deliberately abandoning live-service mechanics following earlier project cancellations and high-profile industry setbacks.

A Strategic Shift for Bend Studio

Sony’s Bend Studio, the Oregon-based developer behind the 2019 hit Days Gone, is charting a new course with its unannounced next project—a third-person cooperative multiplayer game slated for a 2027 reveal and potential launch. This marks a deliberate departure from the studio’s single-player roots, aligning with Sony Interactive Entertainment’s broader push to diversify its portfolio amid the late-cycle phase of the PlayStation 5’s lifecycle [1][2][6]. Reports indicate that Bend Studio began production on the title in mid-2025, shortly after the cancellation of its unannounced live-service project codenamed Mirror Pond [1][5].

From Live-Service Ambitions to Cooperative Focus

The cancellation of Mirror Pond, a live-service title that had reached advanced stages of development, underscores a broader industry retrenchment following the high-profile commercial failures of Sony’s Concord and the stalled development of Fairgame$ [1][3]. Insiders confirm that Bend Studio’s upcoming title will not adopt live-service mechanics, instead prioritizing traditional cooperative gameplay—a strategic pivot aimed at recapturing the studio’s core audience [1][2][6]. This decision reflects a cautious approach to game development, particularly as Sony continues to refine its live-service strategy after mixed results [3][4].

2027 Timeline and Market Positioning

Industry reports suggest that Bend Studio’s new game is not only on track for a 2027 reveal but also targets a late-2027 launch window, positioning it as a tentpole release alongside other Sony exclusives like God of War: Laufey and Media Molecule’s unannounced title [2][6][7]. The game is expected to launch on both PlayStation 5 and PC, though Sony’s historical reluctance to port single-player titles to PC introduces some uncertainty [4][alert! ‘Sony has a history of limiting PC releases for exclusives, which may apply here’]. Sources indicate that the project is further along in development than initially anticipated, with development cycles accelerated to capitalize on the PlayStation 5’s lifecycle [1][2].

A New Direction for Bend Studio

While confirmation of the game’s narrative setting and gameplay mechanics remains pending, insiders have definitively ruled out a Days Gone sequel, signaling a bold new intellectual property (IP) for the studio [1][2][7]. This shift mirrors Sony’s broader strategy to introduce fresh IPs as part of its 2027 slate, diversifying its offerings beyond established franchises [6][7]. Analysts suggest that Bend Studio’s cooperative focus could appeal to a broader demographic, particularly as Sony seeks to bolster its multiplayer portfolio to complement its traditional single-player strengths [GPT].

Sources

Video Games Sony