PlayStation: Bungie deal is about multiplatform, live-service games

gamesindustry.biz:

Christopher Dring

Head of Games B2B

Monday 31st January 2022

Bungie

Sony Interactive Entertainment

PlayStation's acquisition of Bungie may not result in exclusive PS5 games, but it will allow the platform holder to significant accelerate its ability to make online, live-service games across different platforms.

In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan says that Destiny 2 and future Bungie games will continue to be published on other platforms, including rival consoles. The advantages Bungie offers Sony is in its ability to make huge, multiplatform, live-service online games, which is something the wider organisation is eager to learn from.

"The first thing to say unequivocally is that Bungie will stay an independent, multiplatform studio and publisher. Pete [Parsons, CEO] and I have spoken about many things over recent months, and this was one of the first, and actually easiest and most straightforward, conclusions we reached together. Everybody wants the extremely large Destiny 2 community, whatever platform they're on, to be able to continue to enjoy their Destiny 2 experiences. And that approach will apply to future Bungie releases. That is unequivocal.

"[Bungie] will operate autonomously within the Sony Interactive Entertainment organisation, and they will continue to publish on other platforms. We get the importance of this. We have grown studios organically, but we've also made a number of acquisitions over the years. Whether it is Naughty Dog, Guerrilla Games, Suckerpunch Productions and most recently Insomniac. We understand how important it is to give these great organisations the space and independence, whilst bolstering that with great support when and where that's needed.

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