Bungie, the developer of the hit game series “Destiny,” has been acquired by Sony Interactive Entertainment for $3.6 billion.
GamesIndustry.Biz reports that following the deal, Bungie will be run as “an independent subsidiary” of SIE, and will remain a multiplatform studio with the option to “self-publish and reach players where they choose to play.”
Bungie is best known for its work on the Halo franchise, but since becoming a self-sustaining studio, it has concentrated its attention on Destiny, a live-service shooter role-playing game in which players control Guardians of Light throughout the galaxy. A new IP is also in the works at this time.
“We’ve had a strong partnership with Bungie since the inception of the Destiny franchise, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to officially welcome the studio to the PlayStation family,”
– SIE president CEO Jim Ryan
Sony buys Bungie
Bungie’s separation from Sony is confirmed in the PlayStation Blog post by Ryan. “I’d want to make it clear to the community that Bungie will continue to be an independent and multi-platform developer and publisher.” Ryan also stated that Bungie would collaborate with the PlayStation Studios organization, adding that both organizations would work together.
According to the blog, Bungie will provide Sony PlayStation Studios with access to its proprietary tools, allowing PSST projects to use them.
Bungie said the acquisition will ensure that players can continue to enjoy their games, adding that the partnership with SIE “is a partner who unconditionally supports us in all we are and wants to accelerate our vision to create generation-spanning entertainment, all while preserving the creative independent that beats in Bungie’s heart.”
It’s worth noting that even after the acquisition, Bungie is still free to publish and develop games. And that it’s dedicated to supporting gamers and communities “wherever they choose to play.”
Bungie wants to be multi-platform after the acquisition
Sony’s sixth acquisition since 2021, but most of the studio acquisitions have been firms with long histories on PlayStation, such as BluePoint and Housemarque, or support teams and specialist studios like Nixxes.
Bungie’s history is linked across PlayStation, Xbox, and PC, and the firm wants to be multi-platform after the acquisition.
