Bungie Splits from Activision

[ethansito]

Now all they have to do is make a Halo game

[PriestTroit]

I bet you very little is gonna change. Why change the formula when it's raked in so much cash for the last five years?

Apparently there's a game in the works called Matter for which Bungie has filed a new trademark... but in June they received a $100 million investment from and partnered up with a Chinese publisher called NetEase who specializes in online games like WoW, Star Craft 2, Overwatch, as well as mobile games in the Chinese market. Who knows what that could mean for the future of Destiny and the potentially new game.

I'm susceptible to tin-foil hat theories, though.

[ryvrdrgn14]

In the atmosphere we have right now, only results and actions matter. It means nothing until they prove there is a different with their products.

[Irritablesquid]

I'm going to keep an eye on what happens next.
they will need money more than ever now so we will see what they decide to do

[Saskia]

With all that has happened lately, Activision really is in dire straits. Their list of successful IPs is shrinking, and they have little to no innovation left. It will be fun watching that burning ship sink, I just wish they didn't have to take Blizzard with them. Oh well, that's Karma for you.

[ryvrdrgn14]

Activision is the dying Kraken and it has its tentacles wrapped all around the Blizzard ship. I think that the people that mattered in Blizzard already got into the lifeboat.

[Saskia]

Yes, the next 6 months is going to be very interesting.

[Merlin]

Nani the F**k? Really?

Well they can't be any less in my eyes than they were.

[LastExile]

Bungie was private studio since they split with MS 10-12 years ago, they are also owners of Destiny IP Activision/Blizzard have only a publishing rights. Wee will see if Bungie can make without the publsher...fingers crossed for them

[[Formerly]NEET]

Good news! At least for now. And now we have to wait and see...If it's Bungie or is it Activision that made the Destiny franchise going dodo over the last years?

[Spect3r]

NEET;n21203]Good news! At least for now. And now we have to wait and see...If it's Bungie or is it Activision that made the Destiny franchise going dodo over the last years?

Over the last years?
Was there ever a good Destiny game?!?

[Erebus]

It's great news. More of them should split from Activision.

[CatHaRtIcSeraph]

It's something that you don't hear of much these days; a studio taking back their IP from a publisher is rare and frankly unheard of. I suspect the economics behind Destiny and it's franchise were a reason as well. If Activision's other IPs are lagging behind, they were looking for Destiny to pick up the slack.

If I remember correctly from one of Jason Schrier (sp?) reports on D1, he mentioned it was Bungie was the one who suggested implementing the Eververse microtransactions store during their contract restructuring. A few tidbits of "the tools we have are too hard" and "the schedule is too restrictive" but I'd have to find the article to clarify.

Regardless, it will be interesting to see how this works out. One thing is sure, that the next time a microtransaction or content pricing drama hits Bungie, they won't be able to hide behind Activision.

[Saskia]

It's something that you don't hear of much these days; a studio taking back their IP from a publisher is rare and frankly unheard of.

It's interesting you mention that. Regardless of how they spin it, I suspect this split was more to do with Activision wanting to get rid of Bungie, rather than the other way around. At a time when investors are rapidly losing patience with Activision, I see this as Activision cutting loose the dead weight in an effort to restore investor confidence and hopefully salvage what's left of the share price.
I also wouldn't be surprised if Activision announces at least two new mobile titles in the works this year, just to appease those demanding investors!

[CatHaRtIcSeraph]

Knowing Activision these days I wouldn't doubt it in the slightest. They had 2 years left if the timeframe was kept from their original contract. They can spin it as money saved from an "underperforming" title and throw it at more mobile stuff overseas. Those kill it in money spent compared to profit earned. Hopefully Bungie doesn't bungle up an opportunity.

[Saskia]

Wow, I just checked Activision's stock price after the market opened and it's already down more than 12% after the announced split with Bungie. Investors are freaking out!!

[LastExile]

Dont forget that some time ago Netese invested 100 milion bucks into Bungie....plus most development decisions where made by Bungie not Activision, its always good when companies like Acti/Blizz get slap in the face, but still dont celebrate to early

[fenrif]

Wow, I just checked Activision's stock price after the market opened and it's already down more than 12% after the announced split with Bungie. Investors are freaking out!!

They're more than freaking out. Activision is now being investigated for securities fruad.

https://www.marketwatch.com/press-re...tvi-2019-01-11

I'm with the people in this thread who are wary of this. Bungie keep fucking up all on their own. It's easy to blame Activision, beacuse of all the shitty stuff Activision gets upto, but Bungie are just as crappy. And Netese aren't saints either. Bungie, like Bioware, is a studio that coasts on it's name brand recognition. They made good games decades ago, but haven't made anything worthwhile in a long long time.