Official: Bungie to split from Microsoft
As we reported earlier, Bungie is leaving Microsoft to pursue more creative game development. Due to the inevitable contract that Bungie is likely tied to, they’ll be stuck developing for the hdd-less, dvd powered 360 for the time being. That being said, it’s only a matter of time before we see Bungie exclusive titles for the Playstation 3. Perhaps Insomniac will teach them how to make dedicated servers for their first PS3 title. It’ll be interesting to see a Bungie game in HD as well.
Full Press Release:
REDMOND, Wash. — Oct. 5, 2007 — 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.
The critically acclaimed Xbox 360®-exclusive “Halo 3†achieved $300 million in global sales in its first week. Released on Tuesday, Sept. 25, “Halo 3†is the fastest-selling video game ever and already one of the most successful entertainment properties in history.
“Our collaboration with Bungie has resulted in ‘Halo’ becoming an enduring mainstream hit,†said Shane Kim, corporate vice president of Microsoft Game Studios. “While we are supporting Bungie’s desire to return to its independent roots, we will continue to invest in our ‘Halo’ entertainment property with Bungie and other partners, such as Peter Jackson, on a new interactive series set in the ‘Halo’ universe. We look forward to great success with Bungie as our long-term relationship continues to evolve through ‘Halo’-related titles and new IP created by Bungie.â€
“This exciting evolution of our relationship with Microsoft will enable us to expand both creatively and organizationally in our mission to create world-class games,†said Harold Ryan, studio head for Bungie. “We will continue to develop with our primary focus on Microsoft® platforms; we greatly value our mutually prosperous relationship with our publisher, Microsoft Game Studios; and we look forward to continuing that affiliation through ‘Halo’ and beyond.â€
Bungie Studios will remain in its current location in Kirkland, Wash.
Yeah maybe if Halo 3 was on ps3 it would have had 720p with better textures. Sure Halo 3 look some what better then Halo 2 but it still has crappy texture, and some real shading or shadows would be nice.
isnt this a post about bungie, not halo3? isnt this a blog about PS3 not xbox 360?
“isnt this a blog about PS3 not xbox 360?”
Um, no. It’s about the 360..
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Yeah, but PS3 fanboys like to think that just because Bungie is splitting from microsoft, means that there going to make games for the PS3, not true
“We will continue to develop with our primary focus on Microsoft’s platforms; we greatly value our mutually prosperous relationship with our publisher, Microsoft Game Studios, and we look forward to continuing that affiliation through ‘Halo’ and beyond.â€
http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&cid=12834
Halo 3 is a great game, and obviously SOny and you PS3rd fanboys just dont want to admit it, 300Million in sales its FIRST WEEK. Graphics dont make the game, they make it pretty. Maybe bungie will re-make lair into somehting that is actually playable lol
Oh speaking of lair, didnt the BurgerKing games that only cost $5 get better reviews than lair? i think so.
Dont forget the 4500 Years of Xbox Live played on halo 3 its first week (thats 40 Million hours so you know)
Yeah, Bugnie is still making games for the xbox bececause of the tremendous online support. They just split to take a break from halo.
Still won’t get Halo, but big deal!!
Still, it’ll prolly take about 2-4 years to make games.
You guys are retarded. You clearly missed that part about Microsoft maintaining an exclusive publishing deal with Bungie. Keep on dreaming about having their games on POS3. But of course, since Halo sucks so bad according to you guys, you wouldn’t want Bungie making games for your blu-ray player, now would you? No, of course not…that’d be hypocritical of you! And everyone knows SDF has always maintained the highest level of journalistic integrity.
Why are there a bunch of 360 fanboys on the SDF site?
Anyways, I really couldn’t care less if Halo comes out on PS3 (to me, it’s just another FPS – but keep in mind I play FPS games on PC). I am just glad Bungie got out from under the MS leash. They are a good dev team and I think they and gamers will benefit from going multiplatform with whatever properties they decide to release.
The 360 is HDD-less?
You guys do realize that Microsoft OWNS Bungie, so a split will NEVER happen.
@redjesus
This is the first SDF article in a while that is true. Bungie DID announce today that they will no longer be privately owned by Microsoft, it’s even written on the front page of Bungie.net.
Anyhoos, good job SDF! You’re back to your real funny selves. I especially like how you used an unfinished grunt concept sketch from pre-Halo 2 to describe the art design. Bravo!
So I get that Bungie is becoming independent again, sure, no problem, good for them. But what I dun understand is why you (read PS3/Sony fanboys) is going all “omg bungie will make games for us now, win win win!!” when you think that the games they makes sucks.
Oh wait, now I get it, you only have shitty games so that’s why you want a new, which in your vision makes shitty games, company that made millions of dollars of the best selling game in the world.
wow this site has gone from funny to just plain pissing me off with all these lies. Is there any way to cancel my account on this, cuz this website does not deserve my support.
Bungie leaving MS to join Sony? Out of the frying pan and into the fire. Bungie’s smarter than that. Better to make games for all the systems.
We have an official article from Associated Press (although, when it comes to games, AP is as reliable as SDF).
According to the article, Bungie is going indepedant BUT will continue to make exclusives for the 360. MS also said they will keep close to Bungie and maintain a minority share in their stocks.
Poor SDF, so close, and yet so far!
The game is nothing i havent seen before the graphics aint bad, but are not the best ones and Bungie can release Halo 4-10 on the ps3 if anything but us PS3 owners dont like halo, unless they add 15-30 Hours of gameplay on the campain it may sell, sorry short games are for 360 users not 70 hours players like us (FinalFantasy anybody).
Wait..you guys diss bungies game but now you are all like “it’s only a matter of time before we see Bungie exclusive titles for the Playstation 3″ so now you want all there games…wow
PS3UP, don’t even mention FF. It’s an RPG, and therefore an entirely different case entirely. RPG’s are generally longer than some other types of games, but their replayability (while still strong in FF) is lessened. I KNOW I’m going to be playing Halo 3′s campaign over and over again, because of the Meta, four-player and online co-op, and the 13 skulls. I’ve played FF and love the series (which is in no way Sony-exclusive) but I don’t get that.
Also, to make it shorter, we prefer quality over quantity.
@PS3UP
First off, your right, the graphics are good, not mind blowing, but graphics dont make the game. Second, i know your just giving an example but Bungie cant make Halo 4-10 or whatever on ps3 because Microsoft owns the rights to the Halo franchise, and who the hell would want a game with 25-40 hours (halo was about 10 hours give or take) of gameplay, expecially in a shooter, gets boring as hell and would take forever to come up with a storyline that would make it worth playing 30 hours. And since your a PS3 fanboy (dont deny it your name says it all) saying that you like playing 70 hour games is stupid, only one with a relative ammout of gameplay like that is FF (like you said) but since your PS3, what about Heavenly sword? you and SDF complain about short games like how halo 3 was lacking length, yet Heavenly sword was like a 5-7 hour game with almost no replay value (button mashers suck). Dont bash a console or game just because you dont have it, Play games not consoles
@PS3UP
Dude your an idiot.
1. There is NOTHING wrong with a short game as long it provides a good experience.
2. I own a Oblivion on the 360, and its on a DVD and have put in over 50 hours on it. So no your wrong there is short games on the 360 (I heard HS can be beaten in 5 hours).
3. Who really has time to play a bunch of 35-50 hour games? Why would developers wanna spend that much time on a single game and not to mention the cost of developing long ass games would be alot.
I meant to say “there is short games and long games on the 360″
You are oh so jealous. You won’t see a good Bungie game on PS3 because PS3 sucks.
God I’m so sick of hearing this story. Bungie’s going back to being an independent developer, and every ps3 themed site and magazine hail it as the second coming. I even read one retard speculate that halo would end up coming to the ps3. The reality is that nothing will change, Bungie has made too much money with microsoft and has too solid a fanbase with xbox to develop anything exclusively on the ps3.
well you did it again.
theyre not gonna do a ps3 exclusive. and theyr not doing it because the ps3 is better; its because they want a better opurtinity to make money.
I know that this is a satire site but I thought post this anyways:
http://blog.wired.com/games/2007/10/interview-bungi.html
I would like to point out 2 things about this. 1 Bungi is not leaving because they are sick of Microsoft. They are still going to produce solely for the 360. 2 Microsoft still owns 68% of bungi so its not a split, its Microsoft giving creative freedom.
bungie finally realized how horrible microsoft is. its just that they couldnt make the games they wanted with the 360s far infirior hardware. next thing u know bungie is teaming up with SOE