It’s hard to keep track of the dialogue already.
After reading Grubb’s assumptions. My own are just as fair game.
Also Herman was already a key member of the board. It sorta seems like Bungie did this to once again avoid Sony wanting more “control.”
Bungie lays off 17% of their workforce (155 employees moving to SIE)
- Thread starter voke
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It’s hard to keep track of the dialogue already.
After reading Grubb’s assumptions. My own are just as fair game.
Also Herman was already a key member of the board. It sorta seems like Bungie did this to once again avoid Sony wanting more “control.”
Yes, some Bungie people has been moved to other SIE offices and part of it was to create a new PS Studios team, who will work on a project that was incubated inside Bungie.
Hermen is now the SIE CEO and Bungie is a fully owned SIE subsidiary. Sony bougth 100% of Bungie, meaning SIE has 100% control of Bungie since the moment they bought it.
Meaning, since the day he was promoted to CEO Bungie reports to him (in the same way they reported to Jim Ryan before him, since he was the previous SIE CEO), he can do whatever he wants with Bungie, and Bungie has to do whatever he orders them if don't want to be fired.
As an example, Hermen could tell them to cancel Marathon and Destiny 3 plus to shut down Destiny 2 and put all their devs to start working on Knack 3 tomorrow.
Yes, it's normal. Many people get angry when fired.
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Bungie giving up single player IP as PlayStation exclusive. Seems like some negotiation to still keep Bungie operational as multiplatform etc. would be surprising if it’s also multiplayer driven too.
Bungie's games make a lot of money, they will obviously continue doing their own multiplatform games published under the Bungie label. One of the reasons of why Sony did buy them was because they published the games in other platforms including rival consoles because Sony wanted to also get money from these other platforms.
If Sony would have wanted to make Bungie's games exclusive, they'd have included Bungie under PS Studios and would have announced that moving forward all future Bungie games were going to be exclusive.
Bungie was incubating multiple projects, and considered that one of them will have a better fit as a new PS Studios team. Pretty likely they consider that the other ones have a better fit to remain at Bungie. Other ones, as usual in any incubation, will end cancelled.
Bungie soon will have two MP games/IPs. With the "a dozen IPs with GaaS" initiative Sony will have more than enough MP games for several years. So yes, pretty likely that incubated project that is moving to a new studio is single player. I assume that if Sony did put the new team under PS Studios instead of under Bungie is because it's single player, so they saw potential to make it exclusive.
If the game moves away to create their studio with several dozens of people (around 70) means that already is a solid project and is under production. That means that has been under incubation pretty likely during a year or two. Meaning, it started its incubation when Bungie already was owned by Sony. So pretty likely, when they acquired Bungie they already agreed that some of the projects incubated there would end as new PS Studios teams, which means PS console exclusives.
That never happened. They are a subsidiary fully owned by SIE, Sony bought the 100% of Bungie. Which means they report to the SIE CEO, who can do whatever he wants with them.
If Hermen wants he can fire/change Bungie higher ups, cancel or delay their games (as they did), make a layoff (as they did), move people to other SIE studios (as they are doing), to put them under the PS Studios publishing label (as they did with the project they were incubating) or to order them to make Mister Mosquito 2 as PSVR2 exclusive.
When acquired them, Sony decided to give them creative freedom as they do with all their studios, and in their case kept them publishing day one on non PS platforms including rival consoles under the Bungie publishing label, as part of SIE's multiplatform strategy.
But over time SIE can change their mind, specially if Bungie misses their targets as they did last year (this one they are doing great with The Final Shape).
They announced that Sony acquired 100% of the Bungie shares and did put Bungie as a (fully owned) SIE subsidiary, and as such that they were going to report to the SIE CEO.
When Hermen became co-CEO it was announced that he now is going to be CEO of the new SIE Studio Business Group, which is in charge of PS Studios, Bungie and the current and future non-gaming adaptations (movies, tv shows, etc) of the SIE IPs.
The other co-CEO was going to be in charge of the other things (PS hardware, accesories, OS, PSN, PS+, 3rd party management, related marketing etc).
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Right. Whatever lool.
Bungie is separate from PlayStation first and foremost. Owned by Sony yes but it’s still a key difference.
There is always truth to rumor and the reality is something in the middle right?
No matter Final Shape’s performance. Bungie still missed revenue targets by delaying two releases at least a year (TFS and Marathon), in addition to the spending spree that include the new Washington hq and the Amsterdam office.
Bungie could’ve just developed this new game itself but instead made an official spin off studio. It’s kinda a big deal. I can’t see how this is not a concession towards not having Bungie absorbed into PlayStation studios.
I think the idea still stands that the intent is to still keep it a separate brand from Playststion.
Bungie is separate from PlayStation first and foremost. Owned by Sony yes but it’s still a key difference.
There is always truth to rumor and the reality is something in the middle right?
No matter Final Shape’s performance. Bungie still missed revenue targets by delaying two releases at least a year (TFS and Marathon), in addition to the spending spree that include the new Washington hq and the Amsterdam office.
Bungie could’ve just developed this new game itself but instead made an official spin off studio. It’s kinda a big deal. I can’t see how this is not a concession towards not having Bungie absorbed into PlayStation studios.
I think the idea still stands that the intent is to still keep it a separate brand from Playststion.
There are also a few things to consider when taking a step back and looking back at the timeline of leaks.
Marathon is now believed to have not been Matter. Matter was cancelled. It was actually canceled for a second time. But with the expectation to resurrect again.
This makes me believe this new studio and new game is actually the third attempt at resurrecting the matter concept.
Last we heard project gummy bears was put on hiatus.
And listen… I wouldn’t be surprised if Bungie cancelled Marathon to just double down on Destiny 2. Their plans … when they change… are huge changes. Only reason I kinda doubt that because it seems Marathon is ready for release sooner than later (unless they weren’t happy with the last playtest and canned it)
Marathon is now believed to have not been Matter. Matter was cancelled. It was actually canceled for a second time. But with the expectation to resurrect again.
This makes me believe this new studio and new game is actually the third attempt at resurrecting the matter concept.
Last we heard project gummy bears was put on hiatus.
And listen… I wouldn’t be surprised if Bungie cancelled Marathon to just double down on Destiny 2. Their plans … when they change… are huge changes. Only reason I kinda doubt that because it seems Marathon is ready for release sooner than later (unless they weren’t happy with the last playtest and canned it)
Sony should probably send Pete Parsons packing
I doubt he has any employee support at this point and seems happy to burn other people's money
I doubt he has any employee support at this point and seems happy to burn other people's money
“Now I get why there’s a doom & gloom thread” lol
Not saying buying Bungie was bad because in the long term with games, cross media & merchandising it will pay off but there are countless other studios that would’ve cost significantly less & brought out more games.
Instead of Bungie we could’ve gotten Kadokawa/Fromsoft, Arc System, Level 5, Tribute games etc
Not saying buying Bungie was bad because in the long term with games, cross media & merchandising it will pay off but there are countless other studios that would’ve cost significantly less & brought out more games.
Instead of Bungie we could’ve gotten Kadokawa/Fromsoft, Arc System, Level 5, Tribute games etc
worst acquisition in the history of the gaming industry, 3.6B dollars thrown in the TRASH
I’m not sure if this 155 moving to somewhere else in SIE includes the (what is now reported as) 40 moving to the new startup studio. I would believe it does.
You would think the other 115 will go into areas that benefit all games and services; meaning like networking, qa testing and whatever they need to improve their networked game efforts across the board. That is what should’ve been happening. There’s been some upwards hiring from Bungie to SIE but this is a larger set of talent sotospeak. Wouldn’t be surprised if similar positions now filled are laid off elsewhere at SIE.
You would think the other 115 will go into areas that benefit all games and services; meaning like networking, qa testing and whatever they need to improve their networked game efforts across the board. That is what should’ve been happening. There’s been some upwards hiring from Bungie to SIE but this is a larger set of talent sotospeak. Wouldn’t be surprised if similar positions now filled are laid off elsewhere at SIE.
The best thing for Bungie would be to get away from this ten year plan BS like they've done with Destiny 2
It's changed them from one of the most important mainstream devs in gaming to one servicing a large niche. They used to launch cultural events
Nobody is excited for Bungie except the core Destiny 2 fanbase. There is no opportunity to grow, just recycle repeat purchasers
It's changed them from one of the most important mainstream devs in gaming to one servicing a large niche. They used to launch cultural events
Nobody is excited for Bungie except the core Destiny 2 fanbase. There is no opportunity to grow, just recycle repeat purchasers
It’s supposed to be a moba called “project gummy bear” likely something similar to Supervive/Smite could have potential on console & mobile since there’s isn’t much competition outside Smite on console & mobile players usually play/like these kinda games.
Everyone likes to shit on Parsons. From fans who wouldn’t have a clue to the man, the myth, the legend … Marty O’Donnell. He’s in Vince McMahon territory … go ahead try and do better. Parsons teams have revolutionized shooters and the industry twice over. He’ll be there till he’s dead or gets caught in some scandal lol.
I’m not gonna sit here and shit on Parsons spending 2.3 million on cars etc. Good for him tbh. A lot of that is layoff sympathy, which I have none vs the health of the company itself. I can document and analyze much of what they’ve done wrong… it doesn’t matter now as they need to evolve into a better company for the next decade.
Parsons is notoriously a spreadsheet executive when it comes to layoffs and to anyone paying attention over the last 30 years…
It’s why I always found it funny when the community is like “yaaaassss, Bungie” when they’re pandered too with whatever progressive social bandwagoning Bungie jumps onboad with. It’s marketing, it’s pr… and when the purse got tight… goodbye to all of those things because lol Bungie don’t care. If you don’t get it by now I dunno what to tell you.
Paul Tassi made a career at Forbes writing about Destiny daily for 10 years. What he has to say is no different than anyone of us here. He owes his livelihood to Bungie.
A lot of the writing team for Destiny got axed. Eh, maybe there’s too much lore and text in the friggin game… it’s like encyclopedia’s at this point. Like just focus on the campaig narratives… and it’s not like it feels like a big loss either. I could see things benefitting for a less bloated product.
I’m not gonna sit here and shit on Parsons spending 2.3 million on cars etc. Good for him tbh. A lot of that is layoff sympathy, which I have none vs the health of the company itself. I can document and analyze much of what they’ve done wrong… it doesn’t matter now as they need to evolve into a better company for the next decade.
Parsons is notoriously a spreadsheet executive when it comes to layoffs and to anyone paying attention over the last 30 years…
It’s why I always found it funny when the community is like “yaaaassss, Bungie” when they’re pandered too with whatever progressive social bandwagoning Bungie jumps onboad with. It’s marketing, it’s pr… and when the purse got tight… goodbye to all of those things because lol Bungie don’t care. If you don’t get it by now I dunno what to tell you.
Paul Tassi made a career at Forbes writing about Destiny daily for 10 years. What he has to say is no different than anyone of us here. He owes his livelihood to Bungie.
A lot of the writing team for Destiny got axed. Eh, maybe there’s too much lore and text in the friggin game… it’s like encyclopedia’s at this point. Like just focus on the campaig narratives… and it’s not like it feels like a big loss either. I could see things benefitting for a less bloated product.
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I think Bethesda is alot worse lol. And Acitivion will be soon.
I believe Sony mostly did this to stop MS buying them outright like some of the rumours.
Zenimax / Bethesda is like a trillion times better they've just been run like shit by Microsoft they have tonnes of top tier IP , bungie has destiny ( & marathon which lets be honest no one gives a shite about)
Buying them was bad business for MS. And they areng great studios from there results. Im not really talking about the quality of there IPs but cost of buying them and what results they’ve given them.
Microsoft shill MVP, IGN, are working overtime to paint the Bungie layoffs as the worst thing to happen in gaming this year.
Pathetic outlet. They were garbage-tier when they were owned by Fox in the 00's, and it looks like they're returning to their days of being completely useless for everyone.
Pathetic outlet. They were garbage-tier when they were owned by Fox in the 00's, and it looks like they're returning to their days of being completely useless for everyone.