There are rumors that Bungie, the Destiny 2 developer, could be fully acquired by Sony, thus losing its independence. The well-known gaming analyst and Destiny author Paul Tassi has responded to the concerns of the Guardians and outlined three scenarios that players and the studio might expect.
Why does Sony actually want to acquire Bungie? Things do not look good for Bungie at the moment. Since the DLC “Lightfall,” the Guardians have become increasingly dissatisfied with their game. On one hand, due to the unfinished and poorly told story of Lightfall; on the other hand, because of the current state of the loot shooter.
There is an awareness that the upcoming DLC will determine the course of the company, and appropriate measures have been taken.
- By delaying the upcoming DLC “The Final Form” from February to June 2024, they have created an opportunity to realize a larger and bolder vision, which will hopefully excite everyone and remain memorable for many years.
- Although there have been layoffs in the community support area, the Destiny2Team is still more active and has been responding quickly to player feedback, including rapid changes.
- All of this adds to the ongoing efforts of the PvP Strike Team, which is currently closely monitoring and supporting the events in the Crucible.
The most pressure is on the employees. Bungie’s HR manager Holly Barbacovi has made it unmistakably clear to them, that layoffs are a “leverage” that could definitely be activated again.
Bungie has officially been part of the Sony PlayStation family since February 2022. However, with the option to continue releasing games independently.
However, should they fail to turn things around in 2024 and thus fall significantly below certain financial thresholds, Sony has the right to dissolve the existing board and take full control.
Recently, Bungie created a stir with these ornaments in the Eververse:
Would Sony make Destiny better or let it die?
This is what the Guardians are currently asking: The question that arises with such a complete takeover is whether Sony would do a better job. Players have divided opinions on this and are unsure whether a takeover by Sony would have positive or negative effects. However, the biggest uncertainty lies in what impact this could have on their favorite game Destiny 2.
- On one hand, one could perhaps hope for possible stabilization and improvement of the game under the leadership of a financially strong company.
- On the other hand, players also have concerns about possible creative restrictions and strategic upheavals.
This phase of uncertainty also affects gaming analyst and Destiny player Paul Tassi from Forbes. He has therefore analyzed three possible scenarios about how the situation could develop and what plans Sony might have for the future of Destiny 2.
Best-case scenario: Better leadership, stronger games
This would be the solid future for Destiny: In this context, Paul Tassi outlines a picture of a promising future. The creative expertise of Bungie and the technological power of Sony come together to create an unprecedented gaming experience.
- With close collaboration, the boundaries of the old and outdated Destiny 2 development could be overcome. Innovative features, technical brilliance, and a fresh, dynamic gaming experience would emerge once again.
- Bungie would benefit from Sony’s financial resources, technical expertise, and global reach, improving the quality of Destiny 2 and also the new IPs. Short-term losses from “The Final Form” would also be covered by Sony.
- With a complete takeover, Sony could also eliminate problematic leadership positions and promote those within the company who make better decisions. Perhaps even some of their own talented internal staff or others with live service/AAA experience.
In this clean-up, Bungie could come back on track with a new leadership team and lead Destiny 2 into the next glorious era. There would also be enough space for more Bungie IPs, such as Marathon and Matter.
Scenario 2: Partial Reduction
This would be the middle way: In this scenario, Sony might cling to the undeniable fact that the production of Destiny 2 is enormously expensive.
- The regular provision of so much seasonal content at this scale along with the annual expansions is difficult and costly.
- Additionally, Destiny 2 currently does not have an efficient revenue source mechanism.
- Furthermore, the shooter is monetized in such a way that it tends to discourage players, although not to the extent of Genshin Impact with its gambling model or a WoW subscription. Even if Destiny were a subscription model, probably only a few players would choose it anyway.
In this scenario, you should therefore also expect cuts regarding what becomes of Destiny, as well as at Bungie.
Sony might still preserve parts of Bungie’s autonomy to ensure that the best creative minds behind Destiny 2 retain their freedom and can continue to realize the unique vision of the game. However, for cost reasons, they would reduce the scope of the game as well as downsize or reorganize the teams.
Players should therefore prepare for Destiny not continuing at its current pace, delivering only smaller, rarer content or even languishing in “maintenance mode.” Perhaps with the plan to restore the IP on a larger scale later.
Bungie would also work on Sony’s other live service ambitions with new games like Marathon, of which both Sony and Bungie hope for success.
Scenario 3: The Worst Case
This is the grim future: The third scenario will primarily break the hearts of die-hard Destiny fans. In this case, Sony would not only replace Bungie’s board in the event of a takeover, but also lose faith in all Bungie projects from Destiny to Marathon. Destiny 2 would more or less cease to exist.
- Sony concludes that Destiny burns more money than it brings in.
- There would, as feared by employees, be further layoffs.
- Bungie’s teams would be “torn apart,” providing only support for other high-profile Sony developers and helping develop other live service games that are not their own IPs.
This hope remains: We consider the last, pessimistic scenario for fans of Destiny, as well as Paul Tassi, to be unlikely. This is due to three reasons.
- Reason 1: Bungie is far too famous a development studio to simply dissolve.
- Reason 2: It would make the decision-makers at Sony look like fools, as the deal to purchase Bungie is not even two years old.
- Reason 3: Destiny is far too strong an IP to be completely killed. The game has endured a decade and has a fan base of millions, including hundreds of thousands of enthusiastic players to this day. That doesn’t just disappear after a drop in revenue.
Although the Destiny community is already considering what path Destiny might take under Sony in the future and how this would impact them and their Guardians, it remains speculation for now.
The most desirable future lies probably somewhere between the first two scenarios. Because replacing Bungie’s management is not a magical solution.
But we are still curious: Which scenario would be the optimal solution for you? And how do you actually feel about a monthly subscription model for Destiny 2? Feel free to let us know in the comments.
Everything about the soul-crushing atmosphere that currently prevails at Bungie can be read here: Employees reveal “soul-crushing” atmosphere at Destiny 2, studio threatens to lose its independence
