Sony’s assimilation of Future 2 studio Bungie took one other step ahead immediately with the announcement that its Artistic Studios arm, accountable for directing and growing the “creative imaginative and prescient” and branding of Bungie video games, is now absolutely part of PlayStation Studios.
Phrase of the change got here from Bridget O’Neill, previously the senior director of Artistic Studios at Bungie, now the senior director of Artistic at PlayStation Studios, who stated on LinkedIn (through Sport Developer) that her group “is becoming a member of PlayStation Studios to construct the muse for a artistic group that may assist all PlayStation reside service video games.”
“This chance to share our expertise engaged on Bungie titles with different studios which might be constructing reside service video games is so thrilling,” O’Neill wrote.
“Reside service is tough and comes with a singular set of challenges, so with PlayStation and Bungie working collectively we can give an enormous jumpstart on growth for brand new video games as they enter this tremendous aggressive market.”
Regardless of the transfer, O’Neill stated the group may also proceed engaged on Future 2 and Marathon.
This chance to share our expertise engaged on Bungie titles with different studios which might be constructing reside service video games is so thrilling. Reside service is tough and comes with a singular set of challenges, so collectively we can give a jumpstart on growth for brand new video games.October 22, 2024
In some methods, the change has been a very long time coming. Sony’s acquisition of Bungie in 2022 was pushed partially by a want for “the experience and know-how that Bungie has developed within the reside sport providers area,” which Sony needed to include in its personal studios. Bungie’s affect was subsequently seen within the determination to delay, and ultimately cancel, a Final of Us multiplayer sport after Bungie, which had been requested to present the sport a look-see, expressed doubts about its viability.
However the bloom’s been off Bungie’s rose for some time now. PlayStation chairman Hiroki Totoki expressed irritation with Bungie management earlier this yr, saying he needed to see extra “accountability” for growth budgets and schedules, and when Bungie introduced the layoff of 220 staff in July, Bungie CEO Pete Parsons introduced that one other 155 staff, representing about 12% of the studio’s staff, could be moved to Sony. One other “incubation venture” at Bungie can be being spun off into a brand new PlayStation studio, separate from Bungie.
Aside from all that, although, I believe it is honest to say that PlayStation might in all probability use an skilled guiding hand for its reside service video games. After capturing itself within the foot by refusing to again off on a PlayStation Community requirement for Helldivers 2 till the most potential injury was accomplished, it completely clanged it with Harmony, an internet shooter that will have been the most DOA videogame of all time.
Regardless of its catastrophic failure, a Harmony comeback may very well be within the works, and if in order that makes the timing of the announcement fascinating—bringing it again as a videogame individuals truly discover interesting is likely to be simply the form of factor O’Neill and her group might assist with.
