Sony is buying Bungie, the developer of Destiny and the original creator of Halo, for US$3.6 billion. The acquisition arrives shortly after Microsoft’s announcement that it intends to acquire Activision Blizzard in a deal worth US$68.7 billion. Bungie will “continue to independently publish and creatively develop our games,” Bungie CEO Pete Parsons wrote in a blog post.
“In SIE, we have found a partner who unconditionally supports us in all we are and who wants to accelerate our vision to create generation-spanning entertainment, all while preserving the creative independence that beats in Bungie’s heart,” Parsons wrote. “Like us, SIE believes that game worlds are only the beginning of what our IPs can become. Together, we share a dream of creating and fostering iconic franchises that unite friends around the world, families across generations, and fans across multiple platforms and entertainment mediums.”
Bungie will continue to be a multiplatform and independent studio and publisher, and it will sit alongside the company’s PlayStation Studios developers, Jim Ryan, the president and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, wrote in a post on the PlayStation Blog. “Bungie’s world-class expertise in multi-platform development and live game services will help us deliver on our vision of expanding PlayStation to hundreds of millions of gamers,” he wrote.
Hermen Hulst, head of PlayStation Studios, reiterated that sentiment in a separate blog post. “Bungie’s technical expertise, coupled with their track record of building highly engaged communities, make them a natural fit for collaboration with PlayStation Studios,” he wrote. “We are excited to make plans to share skills and expertise, and to unlock the potential in having the brilliant minds at Bungie under the PlayStation roof.”
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