Sony Has Acquired Bungie For $3.6 Billion

Bungie has been bought by Sony Interactive Entertainment for $3.6 billion. The studio will remain a multiplatform "independent subsidiary" of Sony Interactive Entertainment. Bungie is the studio behind Halo before splitting from Microsoft, and they've been hard at work on Destiny 2, a free-to-play game accessible on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC. 

“We’ve had a strong partnership with Bungie since the inception of the Destiny franchise, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to officially welcome the studio to the PlayStation family,” said SIE president and CEO Jim Ryan.

“This is an important step in our strategy to expand the reach of PlayStation to a much wider audience. 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, and our shared passion for the gamer and building the best place to play will now evolve even further.”

Bungie is joining PlayStation.

Here’s what to expect from this exciting news: https://t.co/s1L3PhQ9vK pic.twitter.com/0R1qhnEDKk

— PlayStation (@PlayStation) January 31, 2022

Destiny 2 Getting Cross-Play In 2021

Bungie has confirmed that cross-play is coming to Destiny 2 in 2021. In a developer blog post, the developer shared a list of planned updates for next year. Cross-play is among them, but there’s no exact window on when players can expect it. Other things to expect next year include the return of the Vault of
Glass Raid, DDOS protection for all console players, and the Fallen S.A.B.E.R. and Devil’s Lair strikes. Additionally, Bungie is expanding Legendary and Master Lost Sector rotation to include Lost Sectors on the Moon along with three new pieces of Exotic armor.  

Destiny Getting Free 2 Play Version, Cross Save And Moving To Steam And Google Stadia

Bungie has revealed that Destiny 2 will be moving from Blizzard's Battle.Net launcher to Steam, and Google's Stadia. The move starts on September 17, and will be available at launch for Stadia.  

"Current PC players will be able to bring all of their progress and purchases with them, including their Guardians, their vaults, and all of their progress – at no cost," Bungie says. We'll learn exactly how this migration from Blizzard's launcher to Steam will work at a later date. New players will be able to play free-of-charge with Destiny 2: New Light, a free-to-play version of the game. This version will include the base game's campaign, the Curse of Osiris and Warmind expansions, and the base multiplayer and cooperative modes (crucible, strikes, gambit, and raids). Going forward, seasons will also be standalone. All other Destiny 2 content is also being bundled into one $40 bundle.

Destiny 2 will also be getting cross-save. The feature, Bungie says, "will become available this fall on supported platforms." That sounds kinda vague, but only time will tell to see how this feature works. Last but, not least, there will be no more platform-exclusive content starting in September.

Bungie Leaves Activision, Takes Destiny Publishing Rights With Them

Bungie and Activision have announced that the two companies have split, with Bungie retaining ownership of the Destiny with full publishing rights to the game.

“Today, we’re announcing plans for Bungie to assume full publishing rights and responsibilities for the Destiny franchise," Activision and Bungie said in a join statement. "Going forward, Bungie will own and develop the franchise, and Activision will increase its focus on owned IP and other projects. Activision and Bungie are committed to a seamless transition for the Destiny franchise and will continue to work closely together during the transition on behalf of the community of Destiny players around the world."

Blizzard has announced that Destiny 2 will remain on Battle.net despite the lack of Activision ties.

“We have enjoyed a successful eight-year run and would like to thank Activision for their partnership on Destiny,” Bungie wrote in a blog post on their website. “Looking ahead, we’re excited to announce plans for Activision to transfer publishing rights for Destiny to Bungie. With our remarkable Destiny community, we are ready to publish on our own, while Activision will increase their focus on owned IP projects.”

Destiny 2 will still receive full support on BattleNet and we do not anticipate any disruption to our services or your gameplay experience. https://t.co/FFOE1iae3R

— BlizzardCS (@BlizzardCS) January 10, 2019

Get Destiny 2 PC For Free, Limited Time Offer

Activision-Blizzard and Bungie have revealed that the PC version of Destiny 2 will be free for a limited time. The publisher says this is meant to celebrate the PC version’s launch a year ago.

PC players have until November 18 to claim their copy. This version does not include the recently launched Forsaken expansion pack but players will have a chance to try out the expansion's cooperative Gambit mode from November 9 to November 11. 

Those who are interested in claiming a copy will need a Battle.net account. If you have one, you can claim your copy here.

Bungie Details Future Updates For Destiny 2

Bungie has released the first major update for Destiny 2 in 2018, version 1.1.2. But it’s already making plans for what 1.1.3 and 1.1.4 will bring. Version 1.1.2 brought Masterwork armor and and revised raid rewards, while 1.1.3, scheduled for February 27, brings scoring to Nightfall. The update is planned to bring new unique rewards to Nightfall, as well, but Bungie clarifies that this might slip to a later update. Finally, 1.1.4 will arrive on March 27. This update is centered around Sandbox and Crucible, adding in penalties for players who quit Crucible matches, and an algorithm change to reduce repeat s in strike playlists and the Crucible. Most crucially, 1.1.4 brings 6 on 6 to Destiny 2, though only for the Iron Banner playlist.

Bungie also detailed a long list of changes to the Sandbox, dubbed the Go Fast Update, including:

• Supers recharge faster for everyone!
• We’ve buffed several weapon archetypes (including, but not limited to, Hand Cannons, Pulse Rifles, Sniper Rifles, and Shotguns) and a few specific perks, as well.
• A key goal here is to make Shotguns, Snipers, and Fusion rifles more prevalent in the game.
• We’ve also been working side-by-side with our friends on PvP to increase the pace of PvP combat and the frequency of power play. Here’s a sneak peek at their hard work:
• Player respawn times for all Quickplay modes have been decreased.

The full list of possible changes can be found at the weekly update post.

Destiny 2 PC Beta Coming At The End Of August

Bungie has announced that the Destiny 2 PC beta will be taking place on August 28th for Early Access members and August 29th for everyone else. The beta ends on August 31st for everyone. Although Bungie has outlined the minimum and recommended specs for beta, they're quick to clarify that does not necessarily apply to full game. Check out Bungie's update to see if your PC can handle the Destiny 2 beta.

You Can Now Link Your Bungie And Battle.net Accounts

With Destiny 2's PC version on the horizon, anyone with a Blizzard account can now link their Blizzard and Bungie.net accounts, which allows players to view all of their stats, hours played, and manage inventory once Destiny 2 releases in September. If you need help doing so, you can go here.

Destiny 2 On PC To Be On Blizzard Launcher + PC Version To Have A Separate Release Date

During the Destiny 2 reveal event, Activision CEO Eric Hirshberg took the stage, along with some help from a video message recorded by Blizzard president Mike Morhaime, to announce that Destiny 2 will be the first non-Blizzard game to be featured on the Blizzard launcher, formerly Battle  Battle.net to a new Blizzard-branded identity.  Activision and Bungie have been discussing a September 8 for the game, but players looking forward to playing the game on PC will have to wait a little longer. An Activision representative confirmed that Destiny 2 on PC does not currently have a scheduled release date, and will not release alongside the PS4 and Xbox One versions of the game. The PC release date is still unknown at this time. Thoughts ? Destiny 2 on Blizzards launcher is a BIG deal and I’m wondering if this will help or hurt the game. 

Here’s The Game Hall Of Fame At The Strong Museum Of Play Inducted For 2017

Following the announcement for the finalists for the 2017 induction class in March, the World Video Game Hall of Fame at The Strong Museum of Play has announced the 4 titles to be inducted this year. This year's class includes Bungie's Halo: Combat Evolved, Nintendo's Donkey Kong, Game Freak's Pokemon Red/Green, and Capcom's Street Fighter II.

Destiny 2 Trailer, Coming To PC, Beta + More

Bungie new details Destiny 2, including a full CG trailer, beta info, a confirmation that the series is finally coming to PC, and details about its assorted special editions. Bungie CEO Pete Parsons says will be happening this Summer. It's currently unclear how to take part in the beta. You can go and purchase Destiny 2, which details all of its available editions, season pass options, and box art.

Here's what is included with the Collector's Edition which will be $249.99:

Destiny 2 Base Game
Destiny 2 Expansion Pass: Get access to both Expansion I and Expansion II, offering brand new story missions, cooperative activities, competitive multiplayer, and a wealth of new weapons, armor, and gear.
Destiny 2 – Frontier Bag
        Customizable bag that can be worn as a backpack or messenger bag
        15” Laptop/Tablet Sleeve with protective pocket slip
Frontier Kit, featuring:
        Solar panel USB charger with built-in light
        Paracord
        Solar blanket
Limited Edition SteelBook® Case
        Booklet with secrets into the Cabal Empire
        Cabal Schematic
        Collectible Postcard Images
        Cabal Military Pawns
Premium digital content:
        Legendary Sword
        Legendary Player Emote
        Cabal Empire Themed Emblem

Here's what's included with Limited Edition which will be $99.99:

Destiny 2 Base Game

Destiny 2 Expansion Pass: Get access to both Expansion I and Expansion II, offering brand new story missions, cooperative activities, competitive multiplayer, and a wealth of new weapons, armor, and gear.

Limited Edition SteelBook® Case

Cabal-themed Collector’s Box, containing:

        Booklet with secrets into the Cabal Empire

        Cabal Schematic

        Collectible Postcard Images

        Cabal Military Pawns

Premium digital content:

        Legendary Sword

        Legendary Player Emote

        Cabal Empire Themed Emblem

Here's what's included with the Digital Deluxe Edition which will also be $99.99:

Destiny 2 Base Game
Destiny 2 Expansion Pass: Get access to both Expansion I and Expansion II, offering brand new story missions, cooperative activities, competitive multiplayer, and a wealth of new weapons, armor, and gear.
Premium Digital Content:
        Legendary Sword
        Legendary Player Emote
        Cabal Empire Themed Emblem

And finally there is the plain old regular edition which will be the standard $59.99:

All we know about the Expansion Pass is the following text: "Get access to both Expansion I and Expansion II, offering brand new story missions, cooperative activities, competitive multiplayer, and a wealth of new weapons, armor, and gear." Destiny 2 releases September 8 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

Destiny 2 Reveal Coming Tomorrow

Well that was fast, as following yesterday's official reveal of Destiny 2's logo, Bungie has released a CG trailer feature Cayde-6, one of the most popular characters from the series. In the teaser, it appears as though The Last City has been obliterated, and the battle has been brought to humanity's doorstep. The familiar Cabal enemies seem to be center stage in the conflict. Destiny 2 launches later this year. Bungie is set to reveal the game and gameplay on Thursday (tomorrow) at 10AM PST / 1PM EST.

Bungie Officially Reveals Destiny 2

Bungie and Activision have officially announced Destiny 2. An image of the official logo was tweeted out by the official Destiny account, which you can see below. Hopefully we don't have to wait too long to learn where Bungie is taking the story in Destiny 2. E3 is right around the corner. Thoughts ?

pic.twitter.com/n1M4zdGE5K

— Destiny The Game (@DestinyTheGame) March 27, 2017

Activision Says Destiny 2 Is Set To Release This Fall

During Activision Blizzard’s earnings call, the publisher revealed that Destiny 2 is set to release this fall. We already knew that the game was coming in 2017, but this is the first time Activision has given confirmation that Destiny 2 is set to launch during fall.

Is Destiny 2 Coming To PC ?

According to NeoGAF user benny_a, (who allegedly has a source at Activision) said that Destiny 2 will have a PC version. It was apparently revealed during an internal presentation at Activision, and that Vicarious Visions will be helping out with Destiny 2. Thoughts on Destiny 2 ? If it comes to PC I like it’ll help the games audience grow. 

Activision And Bungie Reveal Destiny: The Collection

Activision and Bungie have revealed an all-in-one collection for Destiny. It will include every expansion and update and the upcoming Rise of Iron DLC in a single package. Rise of Iron is not supported for players on PS3 and Xbox 360. This could be the right time for last-gen players to upgrade to PS4 or Xbox One. If you pre-order the collection (or Rise of Iron individually), you get access to the black and silver Iron Gjallarhorn weapon. If you pre-purchase the whole collection, you can dig right in to all of the older content while you wait for Rise of Iron’s release. Destiny: The Collection releases on September 20 for PS4 and Xbox One. 

Alleged Destiny 2 Concept Art Leaked

Concept art for what many believe to be for Destiny 2 have surfaced online through artist Aziz Dosmetov's reels. Dosmetov has previously worked on Destiny: The Taken King. Below you can see the leaked images, a few of which portray a large 2 . We also see fiery outlines of what might be new subclasses for the hunter, titan and warlock. With no official confirmation from Bungie, it is unclear whether these are real and because they are concept art, the images portrayed below are subject to change in the final product. I honestly done understand why people think these are for Destiny 2. Sure, Aziz Dosmetov has worked on Destiny: The Taken King but that doesn’t mean he’s working on Destiny 2. What do you think ? Destiny 2 is said to release in 2017. 

Try The Destiny Demo On Your Console of Choice

Bungie has recently released a demo for Destiny on all platforms. This demo lets players sample Destiny's character creation process and progression, as well as some story mission content, and cooperative play. On PS4 and Xbox One, the Destiny demo will require 20 GB of disk space, while the Destiny demo on PS3 and Xbox 360 will require you to have 6 GB of free disk space. As a result, the following Xbox 360’s and PS3 won't support the demo. Xbox 360 Original Console / Xbox 360 Arcade Console / Xbox 360 4GB Console and PlayStation 3 12GB Console.  Also an internal hard drive is required for the Destiny demo as external storage devices such as USB flash drives are not supported. All of your character progression will transfer to the full Destiny game, as long as you purchase a copy on the same platform family you played the demo on.