Sony buys Bungie for $3.6 billion in groundbreaking deal — latest updates
GamesIndustry.biz was the first major publication to written report about the Sony/Bungie acquisition. If you desire to larn more than about the business details surrounding the deal, including the price (which Bungie'due south official website does not mention), it's a practiced place to start.
Bungie explained the details of the Sony conquering on its official website:
"In [Sony Interactive Entertainment], nosotros have found a partner who unconditionally supports the states in all we are and who wants to accelerate our vision to create generation-spanning amusement, all while preserving the creative independence that beats in Bungie'south heart," the post reads.
Bungie will technically belong to Sony, and its PlayStation Studios brand. Notwithstanding, the company may not be as beholden to the PlayStation platform as other first-party Sony developers.
"We remain in charge of our destiny," the post continues, with a link to a Destiny 2 FAQ. "We will continue to independently publish and creatively develop our games. We will continue to drive 1, unified Bungie customs. Our games will proceed to be where our community is, wherever they cull to play."
The subtext hither seems pretty easy to parse: Destiny 2 is a multiplatform game, and that's not likely to alter anytime presently. It won't all of a sudden become a PlayStation exclusive, and fans who own the online shooter for Xbox and PC will still be able to cross-play forth with their friends and rivals.
Otherwise, the post contains pretty typical acquisition language, including a short retrospective of Bungie, some words of cheers for the fans, and a footling praise for Sony. Bungie as well reiterates that it'south currently hiring new talent; i imagines the company will shortly take enough of money to practice and then.
In brief: Sony has acquired Bungie. The bargain cost $iii.6 billion. Bungie has no immediate plans to change how it operates Destiny ii. We'll take a deeper dive into this news soon.
Bungie's nearly pop game at the moment is Destiny ii: a cooperative and competitive online shooter, where players earn increasingly powerful gear as they navigate a complex, ongoing story.
Destiny ii has always been a multiplatform game, bachelor for PlayStation and Xbox consoles, likewise as PC. That won't change anytime before long, if ever. Still, Bungie has released a comprehensive Destiny 2 FAQ to aid players navigate what changes — if whatsoever — they can await from Sony'due south conquering.
"Our commitment to Destiny 2 equally a multi-platform game with full Cross Play remains unchanged," information technology states, and reminds players that the upcoming Witch Queen expansion will however launch for all platforms on February 22.
The other answers are all along similar lines. The Witch Queen will not take whatsoever platform-exclusive content. Cross-save, cross-play, companion apps and third-party software will all office ordinarily. Destiny ii'south Stadia support remains unchanged, for the players who adopt cloud gaming to traditional downloads.
In that location are merely two pieces of unexpected, interesting information. The commencement is that Bungie has no plans to alter any Destiny 2 expansion content between at present and the finish of the game'south current content program.
"Bungie retains full artistic independence for our games and our community," the mail service explains. "Our plans for the Light and Dark Saga are unchanged, all the way through The Terminal Shape in 2024."
In other words: Destiny 2 will probable retain full parity on all systems until the game undergoes a major shift of some kind (or possibly concludes?) in ii years.
The other tidbit worth noting is the second-to-last question: "Bungie has future games in evolution, volition they at present become PlayStation exclusives?"
"No," the reply states. "We want the worlds we are creating to extend anywhere people play games. We volition continue to be cocky-published, creatively contained, and nosotros will go along to drive one, unified Bungie community."
In other words, while Bungie is, indeed, working on new, non-Destiny IP, information technology probably won't be PlayStation sectional. This could, of course, modify in the futurity — and it could definitely change if Bungie has more than ane new franchise in the works.
Sony'south acquisition of Bungie comes just two weeks after Microsoft's acquisition of Activision. While the Bungie acquisition was much less expensive ($iii.6 billion, compared to Activision's $69 billion), the deals exercise share a few mutual factors. Each one involves a console manufacturer purchasing a studio best known for its multiplayer kickoff-person shooter chops (Destiny ii for Bungie, and Phone call of Duty for Activision). And, interestingly, Bungie actually acts as the gum that links all four of these companies together.
Back in 2000, Microsoft acquired Bungie, and the studio helped develop the legendary Halo franchise. Bungie remained with Microsoft for the first 3 Halo games, but became an contained company one time over again in 2007. Even so, Bungie adult Halo iii: ODST and Halo: Reach in conjunction with Microsoft in 2009 and 2010, respectively.
In 2010, Bungie joined forces with Activision in a 10-year publishing agreement. As such, Activision published the first Destiny game, and held publishing rights for Destiny 2 for a while too. The agreement expired prematurely in 2019, and Bungie began self-publishing Destiny two.
Equally such, over the form of the by 20 years, Bungie has bridged the gap between Microsoft, Activision and Sony. It's an interesting studio history, if nothing else.
Sony has officially weighed in on the bargain, with a comprehensive postal service on the PlayStation Web log. Jim Ryan, president and CEO of SIE, commented kickoff:
"I want to be very articulate to the community that Bungie will remain an contained and multi-platform studio and publisher," Ryan said. "Every bit such, we believe it makes sense for it to sit aslope the PlayStation Studios system, and we are incredibly excited near the opportunities for synergies and collaboration between these two world-class groups."
(If you're inclined to have a shot whatever time a corporate bigwig says "synergy," yous may at present imbibe.)
Hermen Hulst, head of PlayStation Studios, had similar comments:
"Bungie makes games with outstanding applied science that are enormously fun to play," Hulst said. "They also have unmatched dedication to the communities that play their games, and everyone at PlayStation, and PlayStation Studios, volition be excited about what nosotros can share and acquire from them."
Pete Parsons, CEO of Bungie, shared his commentary besides, simply it'southward pretty similar to what showed upward on Bungie'southward official website.
The bottom line is clear and consistent, at whatsoever rate: Destiny 2 will remain multiplatform, and Bungie will retain its creative independence. We look to hear more substantive plans in the near future, but corporate dorsum-patting on Mean solar day One of an acquisition is pretty much what we'd await for now.
Since they happened inside two weeks of each other, comparisons between the Microsoft/Activision and Sony/Bungie acquisitions are unavoidable. (We've fabricated a few in this commodity already.) As such, it's probably worth comparing and contrasting the two deals.
Commencement off, it's important to call back that Bungie is a much smaller company than Activision — and that Sony has a lot less coin to spend than Microsoft. Sony's marketplace cap every bit of today (Jan. 31) is approximately $134 billion; Microsoft's is approximately $2.32 trillion. It'southward a bit of an apples-to-oranges comparison, as Sony doesn't have an Bone quite as pervasive as Windows, simply the bottom line is that Microsoft can spend $69 billion acquiring a video game publisher; Sony probably tin can't.
For the tape, though, Sony spent $three.6 billion on Bungie, compared to Microsoft'southward $69 billion on Activision. That means Microsoft purchased the equivalent of 19 Bungies.
Which company got the better bargain will be impossible to say until years from now. But in the coming days, you may hear a lot of "Sony owns Destiny; Microsoft owns Call of Duty" comparisons. While this isn't technically wrong, it may exist a little facile.
First and foremost, Destiny represents well-nigh the entirety of Bungie'south output at the moment; Call of Duty is ane small function of Activision Blizzard'due south total portfolio. Activision too owns the rights to Crash Bandicoot, Diablo, StarCraft, Tony Hawk, Warcraft and — practice non overlook this — Processed Crush. If Activision Blizzard did non put out a single get-go-person shooter in the next five years, it would notwithstanding accept plenty of other games to publish.
Furthermore, Activision has a lot of in-firm developers, but its chief value is as a publisher. (Non every Call of Duty game comes from the same studio, for instance.) Bungie, on the other paw, is a de facto publisher, since information technology distributes Destiny two. Only Bungie is a developer, first and foremost. Sony wanted the company because it develops dear shooters, not considering information technology has a ton of different franchises under its chugalug. Call back: Microsoft nevertheless owns Halo, Bungie's breakout franchise.
The bottom line is that the Microsoft Activision acquisition is a much bigger deal, in terms of both money and number of franchises involved. On the other hand, Bungie is a beloved developer that's proven itself to fans in at to the lowest degree two blockbuster franchises. Microsoft wanted a big stable of games and developers; Sony wanted one particular game and developer. Nosotros'll see how each strategy plays out.
The biggest takeaway from the Sony/Bungie conquering, at least so far, is "Bungie games will be multiplatform for the foreseeable future." Bungie's CEO said and then; SIE'south CEO said so; the Destiny 2 FAQ said so.
Still, "will Destiny ii become a PlayStation sectional" is probably the outset question that many players will ask once they learn about the bargain. Equally such, we've put together a standalone story on the topic: "Practiced news — Bungie says Destiny 2 will stay multiplatform."
To summarize: Bungie retains its creative independence, and Destiny 2 will accept complete multiplatform parity until at least 2024. Bungie's new, in-development IP volition also be a multiplatform title.
Looking farther into the future, there's no guarantee that Bungie games will remain multiplatform forever, or that they won't give preferential treatment to PlayStation platforms (timed exclusivity, additional DLC, etc.). But for now, Bungie is in the unusual position of beingness a PlayStation Studios branch that will create content for both the PS5 and Xbox Series X.
The Sony/Bungie news appears to be dying down for today, simply at that place's 1 more substantial source to consider offset. GamesIndustry.biz, which bankrupt the acquisition story, also conducted an interview with SIE CEO Jim Ryan. Some of Ryan's answers are similar to his comments on the PlayStation Blog, which contained the expected platitudes almost working together and creating fifty-fifty better gaming experiences.
On the other paw, some of Ryan'south comments contained new data, specially when it comes to Sony's strategy for the rest of the year, and beyond.
"I've been on record talking about increasing the size of the PlayStation community, and expanding beyond our historic console heartland," Ryan said. "We are starting to go multiplatform, yous've seen that. We have an aggressive road map with live services. And the opportunity to work with, and particularly larn from, the bright and talented people from Bungie ... that is going to considerably accelerate the journey we find ourselves on."
In other words, the Bungie conquering isn't merely about bringing a talented programmer nether the PlayStation Studios umbrella. It's also to enhance Sony's power to create multiplatform games, manage ongoing live services and build passionate communities. Destiny two as a pure gameplay experience is fine, but whatever longtime fan knows that Destiny ii every bit a shared, ongoing experience is what makes the fan base of operations so passionate and consequent.
Bungie is probable not Sony'southward last large acquisition in the foreseeable future, either. Ryan denies that Sony simply wants to buy up every profitable studio it tin beget — a criticism that Microsoft had to field with its Activision acquisition equally well.
"This had nothing to do with manufacture consolidation. This had everything to do with a shared vision and how we could do things ameliorate together," he said. "We should absolutely look more. Nosotros are past no means washed. With PlayStation, we have a long style to go ... Elsewhere in the organization, nosotros accept many more moves to make."
If Sony acquired Bungie with the intention of improving its multiplatform and alive-service games, it'due south off-white to wonder which developer the company will desire to acquire side by side — and to what end.
Equally the workday ends, the menstruum of new information almost the Sony/Bungie deal has slowed considerably. As such, I'1000 going to sign off for now and turn this blog over to the W coast editors on Tom's Guide. We may hear something substantive before tomorrow; we may not. Either style, it'southward been an exciting day for both Bungie and Sony, and we'll have plenty more thoughts equally the calendar week progresses.
Stay tuned to Tom'south Guide for more news, analysis, and opinions on Sony's latest acquisition — and Bungie'south plans for the future.
Morning time! The industry is withal adjusting to the news that Sony has acquired programmer Bungie in a deal worth a reported $three.6 billion. It may be pocket-size fry compared to Microsoft'southward $68.seven billion bargain to purchase Activision Blizzard but Sony's latest addition to the PlayStation family will nonetheless have a sizable touch on the gaming mural.
This deal is a peculiarly big deal due to Bungie's historic ties to Microsoft/Xbox. The Washington-based studio developed the original Halo trilogy (as well as spin-offs, Halo Reach and Halo 3: ODST), before the serial was handed off to Microsoft-endemic developer 343 Industries. Microsoft retains buying of the Halo franchise, so don't wait Master Master to exist popping upward on PlayStation someday soon.
Information technology appears that Microsoft was keen to continue this close relationship, as it emerged overnight that Microsoft actually looked to purchase Bungie before Sony came on the scene. This information comes courtesy of trusted industry insider Jeff Grub.
We heard a couple of weeks ago that Microsoft was in talks with Bungie. Just talk is cheap.Jan 31, 2022
Boosted sources have indicated that Microsoft soured on the potential deal feeling that a quoted $2 billion asking price was too high, and Bungie's desire to remain contained was also a dealbreaker. Patently, Sony had no such reservations nigh the conquering and began talks with Bungie shortly afterwards Microsoft's interest cooled in 2020.
But time will tell if Microsoft fabricated the right call, or if this is a deal the company volition regret not pushing harder to make in the years to come.
While not technically nearly Sony's purchase of Bungie, today'due south news that the Federal Merchandise Commission (FTC) has stepped in to review Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard is certainly of interest.
Every bit reported by Bloomberg, it appears that the FTC is investigating whether the deal constitutes unfair competition. Typically the Justice Department would rule on a purchase of this nature alongside the FTC, but in this case, the JD seemingly won't be reviewing the instance.
It's likely that this FTC investigation is just a formality. Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard volition likely be rubbered stamped in due course, but it's withal interesting to note that the recent surge of industry acquisitions is being heavily scrutinized.
Perhaps Sony and Microsoft's futurity plans for more acquisitions could be threatened as regulators seek to ensure the gaming manufacture remains fair and competitive.
Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/news/live/sony-acquires-bungie-36-billion
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