The Games Industry Reacts To PlayStation's Big Bungie Acquisition
With the news that Sony is acquiring Halo and Destiny creator Bungie for $3.6 billion, the games industry is reacting with a mix of incredulity, cautious optimism, and concern. Though nowhere near as seismic a deal as Microsoft's purchase of Activision-Blizzard, which clocked in at a massive $68.7 billion, the Bungie deal will still have interesting implications for the future of Bungie and Sony's position in the ongoing competition with Microsoft.
Bungie and PlayStation both trumpeted the deal as a beneficial partnership that will allow the Destiny developer to retain its creative independence. Bungie CEO Pete Parsons said the deal will support Bungie's efforts to become a "global multimedia entertainment company" in a blog post following the announcement.
"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.
Parsons later added that Bungie's games will remain multiplatform, tamping down concerns that the deal would mean Bungie's games would only appear on PlayStation in the future.
With SIE's support, the most immediate change you will see is an acceleration in hiring talent across the entire studio to support our ambitious vision. Bungie will remain creatively independent and multiplatform. https://t.co/FTz5qlzt8S
"Our goal is to build an inclusive studio, where the world’s most creative and talented people can come and do their best work, no matter who they are, where they are from, or how they identify," Parsons said.
As previously reported, Bungie has struggled with a toxic work culture, including sexism, crunch, and HR
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