Sony made it fairly clear that Bend's post-apocalyptic action-adventure IP would be terminated with Days Gone. Heated words have been shared about the state of Days Gone's financial and commercial successes, and how certain reasons may have led to the rejection of a Days Gone sequel pitch. Indeed, Days Gone has had mixed critical reviews and it seems as though that has been enough motivation to shelf the IP indefinitely.
Unfortunately, Days Gone concluded with intentions of crafting at least a sequel from its events. Days Gone's narrative ushered in a conceptual framework for lore that could either look backward at the Freaker virus' inception or look ahead to what Oregon and neighboring encampments could achieve in the future. Whether or not fans ever receive another entry related to Days Gone, there are still multiple fulfilling avenues that a sequel could take. This article contains spoilers for Days Gone.
Days Gone 2 Could Be an MC Biker Prequel Narrative
Days Gone's most unique contribution to open-world action-adventure is its approach to fast travel and vehicular traversal. Because of Deacon St. John's past affiliation to Days Gone's fictional Mongrels Motorcycle Club, Deacon's motorcycle is inseparable from moment-to-moment gameplay and offers fantastic features. Deacon's bike must be refueled, whether with idle gas canisters found in the open-world or at an amicable faction camp, and certain amounts of fuel are needed to fast-travel particular distances.
Subtextual exposition seems to suggest that the MC had been disbanded for a while following the Freaker apocalypse, but it would nonetheless be interesting to see what exactly led to its fallout and how the Freaker apocalypse affected the Mongrels. Talk is mentioned of other MC members from the Farewell charter such as the Mongrels President, Jack, and prospects who were later patched into the club.
Carlos, the leader of the Days Gone's Freaker-devout Rippers cult, is revealed to be an excommunicated member of the Mongrels MC whose real name is Jessie Williamson. As the consequence of killing another club member, Jessie was excommunicated by way of having his club-affiliate tattoos charred with a welding torch. Carlos' storyline and role as an antagonist served the plot well as it dove backward into lore from the MC and his connection to Deacon and Boozer.
Even if Days Gone 2's primary narrative faced forward as a proper sequel, the potential for more stories and flashbacks involving Deacon's life as an MC Enforcer could enrich other characters and provide an intimate, familial connection that the club members share. However, Days Gone truly sets itself up for an eventual sequel with a clear-cut main antagonist in mind.
Establishing NERO As Days Gone 2's Big Bad
Days Gone's conclusion offers the surprise reveal that James O'Brian, a National Emergency Response Organization (NERO) researcher, is infected with an evolved Freaker strain that allows him to maintain his sanity and intelligence. While Days Gone's Freaker horde onslaughts and mutated animals provide a considerable challenge for players, the possibility of Freakers with intellect and wits may be a difficult obstacle in combat that emphasizes Deacon's use of traps and other impromptu strategies.
Days Gone 2 could further identify NERO as a manipulative and sinister organization by having NERO personnel appear to quarantine or section off certain environments. NERO's experimentations and research could supply players with Freakers that could be redefined or repurposed as new NPC factions or horrific enemy types. Deacon's wife, Sarah, could be more or less involved in this plot due to her previous efforts in cultivating a cure for the virus and how that may change with the virus strain.
NERO is confidently established as an elusive and mysterious organization with equipment and contextual lore abandoned throughout Days Gone's open-world environment that players can collect and learn from. NERO checkpoints provide foundational, passive upgrades for Deacon and certainly mark the organization's claim to most of the land. Days Gone 2 could then feature other ambitions and ulterior motives of NERO's with Deacon and Lost Lake's inhabitants attempting to thwart them.
It is unfortunate that the chance at a sequel has been denied, particularly because Days Gone could potentially rectify the errors that generated such mixed reviews in the first place. While fans may never see a sequel to Days Gone, it had definitely established certain concepts and narratives that would have been fun to explore.
Days Gone is available now for PC and PS4.