Today, publisher Sony Interactive Entertainment and developer Sony Bend announced that the latter’s open-world post-apocalyptic game, Days Gone, has been delayed from its previous release window of February 22, 2019 to April 26, 2019. In other words, it has been kicked back two months.
Videos by ComicBook.com
“We recently decided to move the release of Days Gone from the crowded February timeframe to April 26, 2019,” writes Sony in a new PlayStation Blogpost update. “While the studio is eager to see Days Gone in the hands of fans, Bend Studio will take the opportunity to further polish Days Gone.”
Interestingly, Sony acknowledges the highly competitive late February release window, which already includes three heavy hitters on February 22: Metro Exodus, Anthem, and Crackdown 3. Meanwhile, a few weeks prior Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown and Dead Or Alive 6 hit, while four days later Square Enix’s Left Alive releases. Suffice to say, it’s a very crowded window, and Sony was smart to move its brand-new IP out of it.
As for why it didn’t just move the game back to March, well, that’s probably because there’s a handful of big releases then as well, such as Tom Clancy’s The Division 2, Devil May Cry 5, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.
As of right now, the PlayStation 4 exclusive is the only noteworthy game poised to hit in April 2019 (this will undoubtedly change the closer said date gets though). April is also notably a way less busy time than late February and March. So, again, smart by Sony.
Sony also notes that this delay will provide Sony Bend with further time to polish the game, which has been in full production since January 2015.
As you may remember, Sony once promised that Days Gone would release in 2018, but then delayed it earlier this year before giving it its previous release date back at E3 2018. However, unlike previous delays, this seems more a response to the rest of the market rather than the developer needing more time.
The title is notably the first game Sony Bend has shipped since 2012, and is its first new IP since it created Syphon Filter.
For more news, information, and media on the open-world action game, be sure to peep all of our previous coverage of the title by clicking here.
