Sony has purchased 'Bungie Studios,' the developers of the first several Xbox-exclusive 'Halo' games and more recently the 'Destiny' franchise, for $3.6 billion. Bungie's current main title is 'Destiny 2,' which is nearing its 5th year of active support, has millions of players across PC, Xbox, and PlayStation systems. Due to this title's large player base on Xbox, it is unlikely that Sony will make this title a PlayStation exclusive.
However, going forward, Sony has stated that Bungie Studios will still operate on its own. This means that, while Sony will be funding the studio and accelerating the production of its games, the future games released from the studio will still be multi-platform releases. Bungie has several massively popular intellectual properties under its belt, and Sony has stated that with its funding, it hopes to make Bungie a "global multi-media entertainment company." It is exciting to see what Bungie will do with creative freedom and a much larger wallet, given the studio's consistency and high quality.
Gaming Studio Acquisitions
Sony Recently Purchased Bungie Studios for $3.6 Billion
Trend Themes
1. Studio Acquisitions - As gaming companies acquire studios, there is an opportunity for disruptive innovation in the way that development, distribution and marketing of games are managed
2. Multi-platform Releases - There is an opportunity for disruptive innovation in the way that gaming companies manage multi-platform releases, including developing more cross-platform capabilities and improving interoperability between systems.
3. Global Multi-media Entertainment - The acquisition of studios by gaming companies is leading to the creation of global multi-media entertainment companies, which creates opportunities for disruptive innovation in cross-industry partnerships, such as gaming and film.
Industry Implications
1. Gaming - The gaming industry is ripe for disruptive innovation as studios are acquired and new development and distribution strategies are developed.
2. Entertainment - The entertainment industry, particularly film and television, will continue to be disrupted as gaming companies create global multi-media entertainment companies.
3. Technology - As gaming becomes an increasingly important part of people's lives, there is an opportunity for disruptive innovation in the development of new technologies that enhance the gaming experience, such as virtual reality or cloud gaming.