Apart from the Destiny franchise, Bungie is also working on a brand new IP, a brand new brand. Initial snippets of information suggest that the new game might be very different from Destiny 2.
What is the new game about? Besides Destiny 2 and generally the Destiny franchise, Bungie seems to be tinkering with a new IP (Intellectual Property) – namely a new brand, a brand new game.
There have been no official details on this so far. Bungie has only announced that it aims to become a multi-project studio by 2025 – with a game that is not Destiny.
However, there have been some minor leaks, and Bungie already registered the new brand “Matter” back in October 2018. Currently, it is assumed that this could be the name of the new IP. But if you dig a little deeper, it becomes clear that there are now new, smaller pieces of information that give a rough idea of what we can expect from the new game.
We summarize the most important points for you here.
Fresh snippets of information about Bungie’s new IP
What kind of information is this? The new information is not official details from Bungie, but rather derived from the fresh job postings that the studio has put online.
It becomes clear that the game is still in its early stages, as Bungie is mainly looking for core leads for various areas that are likely to define the direction of the new game. In addition, most of the positions are advertised with the addition “Incubation,” which further emphasizes that the new IP is in an early stage and must be defined with the help of new teams, essentially “hatched.”
Bungie is currently in the process of building the framework for its new brand.
These details are now known: Especially interesting are some advertised positions and their descriptions. There are some exciting insights there.
Bungie is looking for an Incubation Art Director, among other positions. The job description states, for example: “Do you want to work on something comedic, with cheerful and crazy characters?” In addition, the Art Director must have a sense of “how character design promotes cosplay by fans.”
Other advertised positions require an understanding of “how character poses and environments appeal to various cultures around the world.” The Incubation Senior Gameplay Animator position expects excellence in combat animations – in both first and third person.
Additionally, an Incubation Economy Design Lead is being sought to help establish a healthy game economy. They will be dealing with:
- Drop rates
- Reward curves
- Progression systems
- Monetization
- Quests, weapons, and armor
- as well as equipment economy
Everything that can be earned, bought, or traded will be under their responsibility.
Lastly, the competitive aspect is also emphasized. In principle, all candidates must possess solid knowledge and experience with games from the competitive field.
What does this say about the new game and how will it differ from Destiny? What immediately stands out are the funny and crazy characters that will likely be an integral part of the new game.
While Destiny featured the jokester Cayde-6 and other characters like Saint-14 are good for occasional comic relief, the Destiny franchise is generally serious and not focused on humor. Overall, characters are expected to be more in focus and to be figures that players can fall in love with.
Furthermore, fans are expected to be more tied to the new IP outside of the game, especially with cosplay promotion explicitly emphasized. While this is also present in Destiny, it seems to be intended to be more in the spotlight – similar to Overwatch. Also, the intention to reach as many cultures and not just individual target groups with the new IP speaks for a stronger engagement with fans and broader accessibility.
Almost every key position mentions PvP, so it also seems that the focus of the new IP could be on player duels. This appears to be playing a significant role.
Furthermore, there is expected to be a game economy including loot, equipment, progression, and monetization, with one of the focuses apparently being on establishing a healthy game economy. How this aspect could differ from Destiny is currently not really foreseeable. However, it is clear from the new game that players are likely to be tied to the new brand in the long term.
What kind of game could the new brand become? The new game is still in its early stages, and a lot can happen by 2025.
In principle, the new IP can develop in many directions – MMORPG, multiplayer online shooter in the style of Destiny, a hero shooter like Overwatch, or even a mobile game – after all, Bungie has entered into a 100 million dollar cooperation with the Chinese company NetEase.
Based on these initial pieces of information from the job postings, fans and players have already formed early theories about what the new game might become. These are merely speculations, but a common belief at the moment is that it could develop into a form of Overwatch, i.e. a multiplayer hero shooter with a “GaaS” model (Game as a Service) – possibly also for mobile platforms like Fortnite.
There are numerous parallels to Overwatch or similar games in this genre, and the 100 million from NetEase was certainly not given to Bungie for fun.
Apparently, funny and crazy characters are to be the focus of the new IP. They are intended to be lovable and to promote cosplay extensively. Fans are expected to enjoy recreating their favorites – all common elements from Overwatch. Just like characters that are meant to appeal to as many cultures as possible.
The frequent emphasis on competitive PvP as a prerequisite fits well into the picture. A game economy with monetization and loot would also fit well into such a direction.
However, these are merely speculations, and much can still change. One thing is already clear – a large new project from Bungie is definitely launching, and in some aspects, the new IP will likely be very different from the Destiny franchise.
What does this mean for Destiny? This new project should not have negative impacts on the Destiny franchise.
On one hand, it is certain that Bungie will continue with Destiny in the coming years – whether through further development of Destiny 2 or in the form of a Destiny 3.
On the other hand, there are still continuously new employees being sought for Destiny 2, currently for example a Head of Art. This also signals that Bungie continues to support the game actively.
What do you think? What direction will Bungie’s new IP take? What kind of game would you like from Bungie (OTHER THAN a good Destiny)?
