Sonymight not have paid as much to acquire Bungie as Microsoft did for Activision Blizzard, but it still came out to a stunning $3.6 billion. This is an incredible amount of money and speaks to the value thatSonysees in Bungie as a development studio. While some people looking at the deal think Sony overpaid for Bungie, there’s a lot to consider with this acquisition. This isn’t the first time that Bungie has been acquired by a major company, and since parting ways with Microsoft, the studio has done a lot.
TheDestinyseries has grown considerably, and the evolution ofDestiny 2into a live-service game means that it has a lot of potential for profit. WhileDestinyas a franchise is already profitable with a dedicated fanbase, the money that Sony paid to acquire Bungie should be looked at more like an investment into Bungie and its properties, rather than simply buying the studio and its games. This is highlighted bySony and Bungie both expressing interest inDestinymovies, and comments that sound more like the two parties aim to maintain a relationship that is collaborative, rather than a dynamic of corporate owner and subsidiary.
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Sony’s Investment in Bungie
Given that Sony and PlayStation Originals already havetheUnchartedmovie coming out later this month, as well as several other projects in development, it probably reflects on this decision as more of an investment than purchase as well. While any price is going to take its toll in some way, the possible return increases in value as both Sony and Bungie have shared interests in a multimedia future forDestiny. The difference in Sony and Microsoft’s acquisitions also shows that the former might be less focused on cornering the video game market than it is building up franchises for it to capitalize on. Sony has already been exploring more multimedia-related projects for different properties it owned before its acquisition of Bungie.
The massive payment that made forSony’s acquisition of Bungiepretty much guarantees that it will be able to explore a diverse future for games likeDestiny, and means moving forward, the developer will be tied to Sony for the foreseeable future. While the studio was able to split from Microsoft after its acquisition by the company, it wasn’t purchased for quite as handsome a sum. The estimated deal between $20 and $40 million is still a lot of money, but meant that there was some wiggle room for Bungie to become independent again, especially considering its success with theHalofranchise.
WhileDestinycould grow to become as iconic and successful asHalo, the newest deal at $3.6 billion brings with it a lot of resources for Bungie to use as a studio. It provides an influx of capital, something that is important for developing video games, and opportunities the studio might not have had otherwise. Sony is well versed when it comes to movies and TV shows, something that Bungie has expressed interest in pursuing. This deal makesfuture multimedia projects from Bungiea greater possibility, and it gives the studio people to work with that might be more familiar with the film and TV industries.
WhileThe Last of UsTV showis a good example, it’s a newer endeavor, and this approach can be seen in a more general sense through Sony’s use ofSpider-Man; a character it’s owned the media rights to for decades. Three differentSpider-Manlive-action film franchises have been released since 2000, as well as a plethora of games.Marvel’s Spider-Manshows how dedicated Sony is to its characters, and the most recent movies are great executions ofSpider-Manbeyond games and comics. If similar approaches are used for theDestinyfranchise, fans could see a long-term investment that spans beyond just video games, and grows into multiple feature films and different TV series that dig deep into the series' lore.
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Bungie’s Additions to Sony
Bungie also brings a lot to Sony itself that doesn’t relate to just expandingDestiny. Sony has expressed wantingten live-service games to be released by 2026. This is a fairly large goal to get done in only a few years, but with Bungie’s experience transformingDestiny 2into a live-service game, Sony now has a new partner to help it with this process. It wouldn’t be reasonable to say that Bungie will develop all of these games, as it’s focused on finishing the Light and Darkness saga inDestiny 2,but that doesn’t mean it won’t be able to offer its expertise. With Bungie being able to advise on these future games and help Sony and PlayStation expand further in the video game industry, it’ll be an invaluable ally, increasing the value of Sony’s investment.
There are also Bungie’s own plans for future games to consider as well. Even though fans are focused onDestiny 2right now, and The Witch Queen expansion that releases later this month, the studio has been upfront about wanting to create new games. Its job listings and incubation program have hinted at this andThe Witch Queen’s delay has helped Bungie’s next IP,Matter.
While there’s still a lot of speculation around this game, it shows that the studio has more to offer than just itsDestinyIP, which is something that could be leveraged in other ways. Sony has several properties that could benefit from the studio’s style, andKillzoneorResistancereboots developed by Bungiecould be great. Fans of both series have been hoping for new titles, and a fresh take on them could be beneficial given that it’s been almost a decade since either has received a new entry.
On top of this, the investment into Bungie also means that it will be starting its relationship withSonyin good standing. Money is always important in business, regardless of what Sony has to offer or what Bungie brings to the table. Studios still have expenses, and developers should feel that their work is valued. Sony’s $3.6 billion deal highlights this and shows that the company sees the value in its new partner and is willing to put a lot of cash upfront.Sony also spending over $1 billion to keep Bungie employeeson board shows that it values the work and group effort that’s necessary to make games likeDestinyandDestiny 2a reality. This further highlights its acquisition of Bungie as more of an investment than a commercial purchase, as some fans may see it.
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