Days Gone co-director John Garvin has made it abundantly clear that he’s still upset about his game’s critical reception more than two years after the game’s release. In a now-deleted tweet, Garvin answered a fan with three reasons why Days Gone wasn’t praised by critics upon release: first were technical issues like bugs and poor frame rate, second were reviewers who didn’t "actually play the game", and third was "woke reviewers who couldn’t handle a gruff white biker looking at his date."
Bend Studio, the developers behind Days Gone and Garvin’s former place of employment, have since issued a statement distancing itself from Garvin’s assertion that it was "woke reviewers" that torpedoed the game.
"We are aware of the comments made by our previous creative director on Days Gone regarding his personal view on the critical reception of our intellectual property. Bend Studio does not share his sentiment, nor does it reflect the views of our team," the statement reads. "Our studio is immensely proud of the work we accomplished on Days Gone and are thankful to every developer who poured their heart and soul into it.
"We are incredibly humbled by the support of our Days Gone community, and we will continue to share your enthusiasm for our world and characters as we look toward the future."
Co-directors Jeff Ross and Garvin left Bend Studio roughly eight months after Days Gone was released to tepid reviews. Technical issues didn't help, but most criticisms were levied at Days Gone for having an uninteresting story and for its level design being dated and repetitive. Others cited the character's motorcycle as a major source of contention, with some not gravitating toward the post-apocalyptic biker fantasy.
Garvin made similar complaints regarding "woke" gamers in a 2021 interview on the David Jaffe podcast where he contrasted Days Gone's reception to The Last Of Us Part 2, which was much more warmly received by both critics and players.