Astro Bot, developed by Team Asobi, is being widely praised and is emerging as a strong contender for the best game of 2024.
The game is filled with references to various other PlayStation titles, including Days Gone’s protagonist, Deacon St. John.
However, controversy arose when Days Gone’s ex-creative director, John Garvin, criticised the inclusion of Deacon in Astro Bot.
Taking to X/Twitter, Garvin expressed his discontent, describing it as "sad" and accusing Days Gone’s studio, Bend Studio, of failing to protect the character’s legacy.
Garvin further claimed that Deacon had been reduced to a “cartoon schill” for Astro Bot, which he referred to as a “small game.” His remarks quickly got backlash from fans, many of whom disagreed with his take.
Bend Studio responded indirectly, seemingly distancing themselves from Garvin’s statements.
The studio posted on Twitter (via The Gamer), sharing an image of the Deacon Bot from Astro Bot and stating that they were “having a blast playing through Astro Bot and meeting our fellow PlayStation Studios family along the journey.”
A Clear Rebuttal From Bend Studios
While Bend Studio’s post didn’t directly mention Garvin, the timing and context made it clear that the studio does not share his...
