Sony announces plans to acquire Halo creator Bungie for $3.6 billion

Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) has announced its plans to buy Destiny 2 developer Bungie for $3.6 billion, the latest in a series of large acquisition deals in the gaming industry.

The news has many wondering if Bungie’s popular MMO-style looter shooter will become exclusive to PlayStation, but according to an official FAQ from Bungie, the game and its content will continue to remain fully multiplatform. Additionally, Destiny 2 features like Cross Save, Cross Play, and the Destiny 2 Companion App will continue to be compatible with all platforms. Additionally, Bungie has also confirmed that future games created by the studio will be available on all platforms as well.

According to statements made by Bungie CEO Pete Parsons, Bungie “remains in charge of its destiny” and will continue to develop and publish its games independently. SIE will act as support for the developer, assisting Bungie during its journey to “become a global multi-media entertainment company.” In the short-term, the support from SIE will lead to a significant acceleration in hiring talent across the entirety of Bungie.

Based on a statement from SIE CEO Jim Ryan, Bungie will support future live service games from PlayStation Studios with its expertise. It’s also possible that PlayStation players may eventually enjoy perks like timed (or permanent) exclusivity for in-game items. We may also see Destiny 2 and other future Bungie releases appear on PlayStation’s planned Xbox Game Pass competitor.

Notably, this news follows Microsoft’s recent announcement of its plans to acquire Activision Blizzard for Xbox, as well as Take-Two Interactive’s acquisition of mobile publisher Zynga.