Sony Acquires Bungie for $3.6 Billion

Michael McWhertor, reporting for Polygon:

Sony Interactive Entertainment is buying Bungie, the developer of Destiny 2 and the studio that originally created Halo, in a $3.6 billion deal, according to a report from GamesIndustry.

I’d have linked to GamesIndustry’s report, but their website is currently offline, which speaks to the magnitude of this news.

Bungie will reportedly remain a multiplatform studio — Destiny 2 is available on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms — with the option to self-publish its games.

“We will continue to independently publish and creatively develop our games,” Pete Parsons, CEO and chairman of Bungie, said 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 has posted a FAQ on the acquisition and how it will affect Destiny 2 and their imminent Destiny expansion The Witch Queen.

Bungie was owned by Microsoft from 2000 to 2007, and their platform-exclusive Halo franchise helped establish the Xbox platform. (No word from Bungie on a reboot of their best franchise, Marathon.)

★ Monday, 31 January 2022