Based out of Bellevue, Washington, 33-year-old popular American gaming corporation Bungie has been a force in the video game developing industry since 1991; they truly began making a name for themselves back in 2001 when they combined forces with Microsoft. However, after acquiring a total net worth of over $2 billion throughout their time as a solo operation, Bungie recently signed off on a deal to release full ownership of the company over to Sony: Both parties agreed on a mutual $3.6 billion buyout contract.
Widely known for their developmental work with the popular PlayStation systems, current CEO and President of Sony Interactive Entertainment Jim Ryan gave a public statement on the importance of his most recent purchase. “This is an important step in our strategy to expand the reach of PlayStation to a much wider audience,” he expressed. “We understand how vital Bungie’s community is to the studio and look forward to supporting them as they remain independent and continue to grow. Like Bungie, our community is core to PlayStation’s DNA… Our shared passion for the gamer and building the best place to play will now evolve even further.”
Bungie is now claimed to be “an independent subsidiary” by its newly announced financial owners. Even with Sony now having full control over the future of Bungie, they have been in a close partnership with them for the past few years and have a good understanding of the ins and outs the corporation withholds. “We have had a strong partnership with Bungie since the inception of the Destiny franchise, and I could not be more thrilled to officially welcome the studio to the PlayStation family,” Ryan stated. While the initial announcement of this information seems to have come abruptly, there is always the possibility of this action already being a plan in motion, behind the scenes, considering they have been partners for over a decade.