Bungie: "We still have risks to take"

Can a AAA game, like Destiny, be truly innovative? That's the question one Bungie fan posed to the developer recently. The Bellevue, Washington studio responded by listing the ways it is pushing the envelope instead of resting on its laurels.

"You make us sound like an old, Favorite Uncle who can barely touch his toes anymore. Bungie is young and spry--barely into our twenties," Bungie wrote as part of its latest Mail Sack feature. "We still have risks to take. Anyone who spends more time thinking about how things could be than how things are can innovate [Emphasis original]."

"Anyone who throws out their old way of doing things can innovate," the company added. "Anyone who thinks they can float above the high watermark can innovate. Anyone with a refrigerator filled with energy drinks can innovate."

Bungie also said its "massive infusion of new blood" is helping the company expand and try new things. One of Bungie's new hires is Danny Bulla, who worked on Red Dead Redemption at Rockstar Games as a senior game designer. Bulla is currently working on Destiny's sandbox elements.

"Nothing makes an old dog learn new tricks faster than an eager puppy who tries to claim the ball," Bungie said.

Published by Call of Duty company Activision, Destiny launches in 2014 for current- and next-generation consoles, but not PC, Wii U, or portables. Activision Publishing has high hopes for the game, saying last week that Destiny is expected to become the company's third billion-dollar franchise, joining Skylanders and Call of Duty.