Microsoft, Bungie Split - But Remain Bed Buddies

[Jarred]

Press Release (http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2007/oct07/10-05BungieEvolvesPR.mspx)

Microsoft Corp. today announced a plan for Bungie Studios, the developers of the “Halo®” franchise, to embark on a path to become an independent company. Microsoft will retain an equity interest in Bungie, at the same time continuing its long-standing publishing agreement between Microsoft Game Studios and Bungie for the Microsoft-owned “Halo” intellectual property as well as other future properties developed by Bungie.

[lostnomad84]

Good for Bungie. They no longer will be under pressure to make only Halo and can go out and do any projects they want to make.

[indigo0086]

As long as they'll make other games for the 360, I'm in. Looks like they are really Second party, which may give them more creative freedom. I'm all for them shying away from the Halo series, They gave us a good run, and left us with a really good finale.

[WRX]

I think this is a good thing over all. Halo is done and I'm looking forward to seeing what Bungie does next, especially without M$ stirring the pot.

[Jarred]

So what would everyone like to see Bungie work on? They successfully brought the PC FPS genre to the console, so I'd like to see if they could do the same with RTS or MMO and see how close they could bring that PC feel to the console with those types of games.

Of course, they have sooo much FPS IP and tools, that it would be hard to create a new tool set. So we'll probably see some other FPS games I imagine, that should have kick ass multiplayer. (I looooooved the 4-player co-op run I did the other night)

Or we could see Pimps at Sea (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pimps_at_Sea) . :D

[indigo0086]

Old school bungie was rather awesome. Myth especially stands out. Hopefully they don't touch the Oni IP ever again. Marathon obviously comes to mind (running punch is probably the greatest melee foil next to the crowbar, maybe even the lug wrench). I also see they published ABUSE. One of the most badass sidescrollers out there.

[ADC]

The fact that they're retaining the developer/publisher relationship as it is, suggests that Bungie won't be as free as maybe they'd like (or I'd prefer). They'll almost certainly be locked to the Xboxes, and I don't doubt that Microsoft will still wield power over what games Bungie makes.

I don't know. Bungie's been dead to me since the end of Marathon. This doesn't suggest they'll be alive any time soon.

[Kurou]

Eh, I can't say I like it, but it doesn't sound like they'll be putting out games for other platforms. So it's just fine.

[Lego]

MS used Bungie and then threw them out like a dirty napkin.

[Kurou]

MS used Bungie and then threw them out like a dirty napkin.

Heh, hardly.

They bought Bungie up when they were a tiny, financially unstable developer. Now they're the developers of one of the gaming industry's top franchises.

[indigo0086]

MS used Bungie and then threw them out like a dirty napkin.

hardly. They probably payed more money for the halo 3 ad campaign than they did for Bungie's publishing salary for a year. They pretty much lined Bungie's Pockets with gold, hardly "using" If anything Bungie Used Microsoft.

[Lego]

MS still retains the rights to the Halo franchise, Bungie is there in name only. I don't doubt that they'll make some sort of great game by themselves, but I wish MS let Rare loose instead of Bungie.

[indigo0086]

1) having the "halo franchise" is hardly worth anything if bungie is finished with that branch of the series
2) Bungie now being an indepentent studio gives Bungie and/or the publisher the final say in what gets made. Bungie would of course initiate the creative process, the funding comes from the publisher.

[Lego]

True, but as you guys pointed out Halo 3 has made 300 million ALREADY. I mean thats blockbuster movie type of money. Still it really looked like Bungie was getting fidgety and wanted to do something themselves. Still when you make Halo 1, 2, and 3, the expectations are going to be pretty high.

[Kurou]

True, but as you guys pointed out Halo 3 has made 300 million ALREADY. I mean thats blockbuster movie type of money. Still it really looked like Bungie was getting fidgety and wanted to do something themselves. Still when you make Halo 1, 2, and 3, the expectations are going to be pretty high.

Reading the press release from Bungie's site, they're really just moving from first party to second party status.

I'm not exactly sure how it works, but when they were completely owned by MS, wouldn't any new IP they create be owned by MS, also? If so, this way, anything they create is theirs. With the success of Halo, I'd imagine they want a bigger piece of the pie for whatever they create next.

[Lego]

Or they want the freedom to make what they want without MS breathing down their necks

[Sensuifu]

Old school bungie was rather awesome. Myth especially stands out.

"Casualty..."