Sony is buying Bungie, the developer of Destiny 2 and the studio that originally created Halo, in a deal worth $3.6 billion, Sony Interactive Entertainment announced Monday.
Bungie will remain a multiplatform studio — Destiny 2 is available on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms — with the option to self-publish its games. The studio “will remain independent and multi-platform, will enjoy creative freedom, and their track record in developing massively successful franchises in the sci-fi shooter genre will be highly complementary to SIE’s own IP portfolio,” SIE president Jim Ryan explained in a statement.
“We will continue to independently publish and creatively develop our games,” Pete Parsons, CEO and chairman of Bungie, added in a statement. “We will continue to drive one, unified Bungie community. Our games will continue to be where our community is, wherever they choose to play.”
Bungie addressed concerns from the Destiny 2 player base in an FAQ about the new deal, promising that nothing will change about the game’s availability on existing platforms. In a graphic outlining Bungie and PlayStation’s “shared vision,” Bungie said:
- “Destiny 2 will stay on all current platforms and expand to new platforms”
- “Bungie maintains full creative control and publishing independence of the Destiny universe”
- “Same game, everywhere — Every player should have an amazing Destiny experience, no matter where you choose to play”
Parsons said of the deal: “In SIE, we have found a partner who unconditionally supports us in all we are and who wants to accelerate our vision to create generation-spanning entertainment, all while preserving the creative independence that beats in Bungie’s heart. Like us, SIE believes that game worlds are only the beginning of what our IPs can become. Together, we share a dream of creating and fostering iconic franchises that unite friends around the world, families across generations, and fans across multiple platforms and entertainment mediums.”
Parsons said that “the most immediate” effect of the deal “is an acceleration in hiring talent across the entire studio to support our ambitious vision.” In addition to ongoing development of Destiny 2, Bungie has other unannounced projects in the works. In 2018, the developer announced it would “begin the creation of new worlds” alongside a $100 million investment from Chinese internet and games giant NetEase. Bungie has more than 900 current employees.
“Bungie’s technical expertise, coupled with their track record of building highly engaged communities, make them a natural fit for collaboration with PlayStation Studios,” said Herman Hulst, head of PlayStation Studios. “We are excited to make plans to share skills and expertise, and to unlock the potential in having the brilliant minds at Bungie under the PlayStation roof.
“I believe that Bungie joining the PlayStation family will increase the capabilities of PlayStation Studios, and of Bungie, and achieve our vision of expanding PlayStation to hundreds of millions of gamers. For game creators, that’s always our goal: to bring our vision to as many people as possible.”
Sony’s acquisition of Bungie comes amid a flurry of studio and publisher acquisitions leading to massive consolidation in 2022 and beyond. Earlier this month, Grand Theft Auto and Borderlands publisher Take-Two Interactive announced it plans to acquire Zynga, the mobile and social games giant, for $12.7 billion. Shortly after, Microsoft — a onetime owner of Bungie — announced its plan to acquire Activision Blizzard, and a long list of intellectual property that includes Call of Duty, Overwatch, and World of Warcraft, for $68.7 billion.
PlayStation Studios has been aggressively expanding its roster over the past year, adding Demon’s Souls remake studio Bluepoint Games, Returnal developer Housemarque, The Playroom developer Firesprite, and PC port specialists Nixxes Software to its ranks. Last year, Sony also made investments in Discord and acquired the Evo fighting game tournament organization.
Source: Polygon
