Bungie/Activision Split: Industry Reacts To Big Destiny News
Big news.
In one of the bigger gaming news stories so far in 2019, Bungie and Activision announced that they are breaking up. Going forward, Bungie will self-publish the Destiny franchise, with Activision instead focusing on its own series like Call of Duty.
It's big news, and many people from the video game industry reacted. Xbox boss Phil Spencer weighed in, as did Nick Chester of Fortnite studio Epic Games. Many more people commented on the news as well, and you can see a roundup of takes below.
As part of the breakup, Bungie gets full control of the Destiny intellectual property. The transition from Activision to Bungie has already begun, and the two say they will "work closely" to ensure a smooth transition.
In addition to ongoing support for Destiny, Bungie is making new games. Last year, it got $100 million from Chinese company NetEase for non-Destiny projects that have not yet been announced. This is sure to be an ongoing story, so keep checking back with GameSpot for the latest.
Industry Reacts To Destiny Breakup
Phil Spencer (Head of Xbox):
Looking forward to a very bright future working with one of my favorite independent studios on one of my favorite franchises. Excited to see how they continue to grow and evolve Destiny.
— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) January 10, 2019
Jason Schreier (Kotaku reporter):
At today's meeting announcing the news, Bungie staff cheered loudly. Can't over-emphasize how happy they are not just to get away from Activision, but to have a game that they now own completely. Imagine a Destiny free from Activision's restrictive annualized schedule!
— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier) January 10, 2019
Manveer Heir (Mass Effect developer):
I remember when I quit Raven Software, an ATVI studio, after they canceled a game and put the studio on CoD support. Someone asked the COO “where is ATVI going to make new IP from if all the studios are just helping call of duty” and his answer was “we have Bungie for that” ? https://t.co/K90yNoPJx6
— Manveer aka King Curry Thunder (@manveerheir) January 10, 2019
Nick Chester (PR boss at Epic Games):
Self-publishing a game at this (or any!) scale is HARD. It’s not a switch you flip. Bungie will have to learn a lot, grow in new ways, and they may stumble. We did and still do. But when they come out the other side, the game and its players will see a huge benefit.
— Nick Chester (@nickchester) January 10, 2019
Mark Rein (Epic Games president):
Wow, congratulations @Bungie ! https://t.co/9WFVS3Xhas
— Mark Rein (@MarkRein) January 10, 2019
Sergey Galyonkin (SteamSpy creator):
Destiny was always meant to be a game-as-a-service like WoW but for some reason, they decided to go with semi-annual releases instead of supporting and updating the original game. Hopefully, now Bungie can focus on that.
— Sergey Galyonkin (@galyonkin) January 10, 2019
Devolver Digital (indie games publisher):
Hey, what’s up.
— Devolver Digital (@devolverdigital) January 10, 2019
David Dague (Bungie Community Manager):
Some of my fondest memories of working on Destiny include the amazing adventures we’ve had with Activision at events all around the world. To my friends at that company, thank you for working with us to bring together this amazing community that we will continue to serve.
— DeeJ (@DeeJ_BNG) January 10, 2019
Rami Ismail (Vlambeer Co-Founder):
Holy shit @Bungie is indie as fuck
— Rami Ismail (@tha_rami) January 10, 2019
Cliff Bleszinski (Gears of War designer):
Bungie splits with Activision.
— Cliff Bleszinski (@therealcliffyb) January 10, 2019
Y'all knew what you signed up for from the get go.
Still, glad y'all got the rights back.
Now? Self publish. Control your...
Destiny? pic.twitter.com/LHB4wXHR43
Tim Sweeney (CEO of Fortnite studio Epic Games):
Congratulations to @Bungie on its second declaration of independence! 2019 is shaping up to be an awesome year for independent developers and their ability to reach the world’s billions of gamers directly. https://t.co/C8zn1mFkbo
— Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) January 10, 2019
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