Bungie Set to Lose Independence, Fully Integrate Into PlayStation Studios

The recent Q1 earnings conference call for Sony announced their intention to completely merge Bungie with PlayStation Studios, a step that Sony’s Chief Financial Officer, Lin Tao, referred to as an “evolving journey.” Acquired by Sony in 2022 for $3.7 billion, the previous developer of the Halo series was granted autonomy to independently publish games and reach players on their preferred platforms. However, this arrangement is now shifting as the Bungie team prepares to relinquish its independence and fully join Sony’s game development division.

During a translated earnings discussion on August 7th, Sony’s Chief Financial Officer, Lin Tao, addressed queries regarding the impact of a delay in the release timing for Marathon on sales projections and Sony’s strategy adjustment concerning Bungie.

Lin Tao stated that regarding Bungie’s governance, as previously mentioned, during the acquisition, they ensured a highly independent atmosphere. Later, there were structural changes, as announced last year, which have made their independence less pronounced. As a result, Bungie is moving towards a more integrated role within PlayStation Studios. This integration is ongoing and, over time, Bungie is expected to fully align with PlayStation Studios.

Originally, Bungie planned to launch their game, Marathon, in September of this year. However, following some negative feedback during an alpha playtest in June, they decided to delay its release. At that time, Bungie assured fans that they would provide updates about the enhancements being made to the game and a new release date, which was expected to be announced sometime around fall this year.

During the Q1 earnings discussion, Tao underscored that the game has yet to receive an official release date and remains committed to a fall announcement for updates. This means fans of both Bungie and Marathon must remain patient for more information about the game’s final status. The Sony CFO hinted at the possibility that the game might be terminated if issues couldn’t be resolved, but they aren’t anticipating cancellation currently. Regardless of Marathon’s future, it seems Bungie will have less autonomy over the project due to their integration with PlayStation Studios.

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2025-08-08 00:33