author: Konrad Serafinski
What next with Bungie after leaving Activision?
Some time ago, the industry was shocked to learn that the Bungie was leaving Activision. The developer managed to regain the rights to the Destiny brand. The question is: what plans does the studio have? Well, now we know the answer.
Just over a week ago we informed that Bungie parted with Activision. After eight years of cooperation and acquiring the rights to the Destiny brand, the developers found a new investor. It’s a Chinese company NetEase. Many fans have wondered what Bungie’s next step will be and what will happen to their favorite game. Fortunately, we didn’t have to wait long for the company’s official statement. In an announcement published on the developer's official website, Luke Smith (CEO of the Destiny brand) commented on the studio's plans for the series.
The developer started the entry with a thank you to Activision and other partners such as High Moon Studios and Vicarious Visions. Then he moved on to short-term plans. Bungie intends, as promised to the players, to develop the content for the season pass. The team wants to find the perfect balance between content for new players and development opportunities for experienced users.
If you were afraid that Bungie intends to abandon Destiny for a different project, you can rest assured that it won’t happen. Luke Smith clearly suggested that the Destiny series still remains a priority for the studio:
Long-term, Bungie is committed to Destiny. We created the universe and we hold its future entirely in our hands. The vast majority of the team is hard at work envisioning future experiences, enemies, and ways to play the Guardian you've been building since 2014. We're going to keep doing that.
Luke Smith adds that the team wondered what it was like to be truly independent, and thus what impact may it have on the Destiny series. He assured that when looking ahead he sees a multitude of possibilities, and expects a bright future for the cycle. Something else might be interesting, though: the developer emphasized that "the vast majority of the team" is working on Destiny. So, what does this "minority" do? Could they be working on a project for NetEase, for which the studio received $100 million? We will probably get some answers in the near future.
The last large content for the Destiny series was the Forsaken expansion, released on September 4, 2018. The DLC was released on all target platforms of the basic version of the game, i.e. PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
