Bend Studio’s Canceled Mirror Pond Game Leaked

Bend Studio, which has been silent for a long time, is back in the spotlight with a cancelled project. Mirror Pond, known to have been in development after Days Gone but never officially announced, is now visible in a more concrete way than ever before thanks to new leaks. Animations and details from the game’s development process reveal the direction the project aimed for more clearly. The question of why Mirror Pond was shelved has also been re-discussed with this new information.

New Details About Mirror Pond

The leaked images come from the portfolio of an animator who previously worked at Bend Studio. The shared animations show that Mirror Pond was designed as a third-person, modern military-themed game. The drones used by the character, wrist-mounted ammunition, and automatic turret-like systems suggest that the game followed a technology and tactics-focused approach in its gameplay.

These new images also align with previously leaked early screenshots. A weapon-heavy interface, a central area where players gather, and an emphasis on intense combat suggest that Mirror Pond is closer to a live service structure than a classic single-player experience. The information that the game is built on systems developed for Days Gone also supports this picture.

Previously leaked project details revealed the game to be quite ambitious. Mirror Pond was planned to feature over 30 enemy types, a modular system supporting over 100 weapons, and multi-layered progression mechanics. A large open world explored by vehicles and strong multiplayer components were also among the cornerstones of the project.

However, despite all these plans, Mirror Pond was canceled following a restructuring process at Sony. Allegedly, the failure to achieve the expected progress during the three-year development process also played a role in this decision. This is not the first project canceled for Bend Studio; The studio has experienced a similar process before with shelved sequels and other projects.

For now, Mirror Pond is only one of the projects that “could have been.” However, these newly leaked materials clearly show the ambitious goals Bend Studio had and the potential that remained after the cancellation. Only time will tell whether the studio’s new project will share this fate.

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