Bungie, the developer of Destiny and the original creator of Halo, is being acquired by Sony for $3.6 billion. The acquisition comes on the heels of Microsoft‘s news that it seeks to acquire Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion. Bungie CEO Pete Parsons writes in a blog post that the company would “continue to independently publish and creatively develop our games.”
“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,” Parsons writes. “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.”
Bungie will remain a multiplatform, independent studio and publisher, working with Sony Interactive Entertainment’s PlayStation Studios developers, according to Jim Ryan, the company’s president and CEO, in a post on the PlayStation Blog. “Bungie’s world-class expertise in multiplatform development and live game services will help us deliver on our vision of expanding PlayStation to hundreds of millions of gamers,” he said.
Hermen Hulst, head of PlayStation Studios, reiterated that sentiment in a separate blog post. “Bungie’s technical expertise, coupled with their track record of building highly engaged communities, make them a natural fit for a collaboration with PlayStation Studios,” he said. “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.”
Bungie is stating clearly that future titles will not be limited to the PlayStation. “No. We want the worlds we are creating to extend to anywhere people play games.” Bungie notes in a FAQ on the deal, “We will continue to be self-published, creatively independent, and we will continue to drive one, unified Bungie community.”
