Back in 2022 when Sony purchased Bungie for an impressive $3.6 billion, it wasn’t what many would expect from such a deal. Although Bungie officially became part of Sony, they were guaranteed autonomy under the PlayStation brand. This meant that Bungie was allowed to operate according to its own principles, even though they were now owned by Sony.
More recently, things have grown less clear. Destiny 2 has received mixed feedback following recent updates, with player involvement showing some variation, given that the game is starting to age now. Simultaneously, Bungie’s upcoming shooter Marathon encountered heavy criticism due to plagiarized artwork and was postponed as a consequence.
Sony says Bungie’s independence is “getting tighter” says Sony
Sony’s Chief Financial Officer, Lin Tao, has announced that Bungie is progressively integrating itself into PlayStation Studios. Tao described this process as a gradual tightening of the studio’s independence, which represents a significant departure from Bungie’s previous status as an independent subsidiary after its $3.6 billion acquisition.
As an observer, I’ve noticed that when Bungie was acquired, there was a strong emphasis on maintaining an independent work environment. However, over time, structural changes have been implemented, as announced last year, which are gradually reducing this independence. Now, Bungie is transitioning into a role that aligns more closely with PlayStation Studios, and the integration process is underway. If we look at this as an ongoing journey, it seems that Bungie’s ultimate direction is to become fully integrated within PlayStation Studios in the long term.
– Sony CFO – Lin Tao
As a devoted fan, I’ve always admired Bungie’s creative prowess and operational independence, which were guaranteed at the time of our agreement. However, it seems that the studio has been grappling with an escalating series of difficulties. In 2024, Bungie had to let go of approximately 220 team members due to decreasing player involvement. Additionally, there have been reports suggesting that our CEO, Pete Parsons, has spent a substantial sum of $2.4 million on classic cars since the Sony acquisition, a decision that has sparked criticism from fans and former employees alike.
Bungie’s role within Sony had been noticeable, as it provided guidance for various live-service projects underway at PlayStation Studios. One prominent instance was The Last of Us: Factions, where reports suggest that Bungie raised doubts about the game’s sustainability, eventually causing the project to be put on hold and ultimately cancelled.
In recent times, Bungie’s upcoming project, Marathon, has faced challenges publicly. The game encountered criticism over its visual style and experienced additional delays when fans discovered artwork within the game that had been taken without permission. Bungie then took action by removing the questionable assets, reducing promotional efforts, and addressing community concerns about the issue.
Bungie’s PlayStation shift likely won’t impact Xbox
Some Xbox players might worry about Bungie’s increasing ties with PlayStation, but it’s important to note that there’s a bigger picture at play. It seems Sony is adopting a new approach, showing signs of being more welcoming towards platforms that they previously neglected.
Regarding Destiny, it seems there’s no sign of slowing down or pulling back on new releases. The seasonal content continues to unfold as scheduled, with Ashes and Iron due to debut in September on all supported platforms.
As an observer, I find it noteworthy that for Xbox enthusiasts like myself, there’s no foreseen disruption in our gaming experience with Bungie’s titles continuing to be accessible on Xbox hardware, despite the studio’s growing affiliation with PlayStation. It’s a peculiar juncture indeed, as Sony appears to be strengthening its grip over its own studios, yet simultaneously broadening the reach of their games to an unprecedented number of players.
Marathon and Helldivers 2 signal Sony’s growing interest in Xbox releases
Contrary to some criticisms, the game Marathon, developed by Bungie as their upcoming sci-fi shooter with extraction elements, is still scheduled for release on Xbox, PC, and PlayStation systems. The multi-platform launch was made possible due to Bungie maintaining a degree of independence after being acquired by Sony, which initially seemed unlikely.
It appears that Sony is spearheading the shift towards live-service games on Xbox, as indicated by recent advancements. Specifically, Helldivers 2, a title published by Sony, will be making its way to Xbox in August 2025.
According to Arrowhead CEO Shams Jorjani on Discord, he made it clear that the release was solely due to Sony’s initiative. This move indicates a significant change in strategy, suggesting that Sony is growing more inclined to extend its influence beyond just PlayStation and PC platforms, particularly for games that perform better with larger, cross-platform player bases.
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2025-08-08 01:40