Bungie, the developer studio behind Destiny 2, has protected the brand name “Matter”. Could this be the next big project from the Destiny creators?
As it has now become known, Bungie surprisingly filed an application to secure the brand name “Matter” with the European Intellectual Property Office on September 28, 2018. What could this “Matter” be?
Matter – What is known so far
Little is known about the new brand so far. Bungie itself has not released a statement at this time.
Details of the application suggest that it is a gaming brand. The application was listed under categories 9 and 41 – that is, computer game software and online entertainment services.
The logo and name reveal no details: The accompanying logo provides little insight into the new project. It features the word Matter with colorful spray paint in the background.
The name itself – that is matter or mass – could vaguely suggest a sci-fi setting considering Bungie’s previous titles.
Matter – an old, new brand?
While there are no official details about Matter, there is already much speculation about what it could entail.
Was already registered: As PCGamesN reports, the brand “Matter” was previously protected by Microsoft in 2012. However, Microsoft abandoned this protection in 2013.
Some suspect that Bungie may have considered implementing Matter as early as 2012 – at that time still with Microsoft, before deciding against this idea.
Is Matter the next big project from Bungie?
New IP with NetEase? It is rather unlikely that this could be a new expansion for Destiny 2. Numerous fans and representatives of the gaming press believe that it is a completely new IP to be developed in cooperation with the Chinese company NetEase – possibly as a free-to-play title and as Game as a Service.
In June 2018, Bungie unexpectedly announced that it had formed a new partnership with the Chinese company NetEase. They aim to develop a new gaming franchise and new online worlds that have nothing to do with Destiny. Bungie has received an investment of $100 million from NetEase to execute these plans.
Matter could therefore be a project name or a preliminary working title for the next major title from Bungie. However, at this time, all of this remains mere speculation.
Especially exciting: NetEase has also entered into a partnership with the company behind SpatialOS technology in February 2018. SpatialOS is a kind of “wonder technology” that allows developers to create massive, living online worlds where thousands of players and NPCs can interact.
The inventor of this technology dreams of creating living online worlds. He has explicitly stated that his biggest dream is to turn Destiny into a massive, living universe.
Since NetEase apparently has great ambitions in the areas of “living worlds” and “online gaming”, it is quite conceivable that this new technology could potentially be utilized in Matter.
What do you think? What will the new “Matter” be? A new MMO shooter with a huge living world? Or perhaps a mobile game for the Chinese market?
