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bentllama

10-05-2007, 03:52 PM

KIRKLAND, Wash. — Oct. 5, 2007 — Bungie and Microsoft Corp. today announced a plan for Bungie Studios, the developers of Microsoft’s “Halo” franchise, to become a privately held independent company, Bungie, LLC, in which Microsoft will hold a minority equity interest. As part of this transaction, Bungie and Microsoft have forged a deep and long-term development and publishing relationship focused on the continued success of the “Halo” franchise. It is also the intent of both parties to expand their partnership to include new IP created and owned by Bungie.

Bungie’s 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.

“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’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.”

“Working with Microsoft was great for us, it allowed us to grow as a team and make the ambitious, blockbuster games we all wanted to work on. And they will continue to be a great partner. But Bungie is like a shark. We have to keep moving to survive. We have to continually test ourselves, or we might as well be dolphins. Or manatees,” said Jason Jones, Bungie founder and partner.

Bungie’s management retained the services of Don Leeds, senior managing director of B-Hive Global, LLC, to assist in the structuring of the deal and negotiating on their behalf. Bungie will remain in Kirkland, Washington, and is always looking to hire excellent talent.

About Bungie

Bungie was founded in 1991 with two goals: to develop games that combine brilliant technology, beautiful art, intelligent stories and deep gameplay, and to sell enough of those games to achieve its real goal of total world domination. Over the past 10 years it has produced games such as the “Marathon” trilogy and the first two “Myth” games, hailed as classics by critics and gamers around the world. Bungie’s “Halo” franchise is an international award-winning action title that has grown into a global entertainment phenomenon, selling more than 18 million units worldwide, logging billions of hours of multiplayer action on Xbox LIVE®, and spawning action figures, books, graphic novels, soundtracks, apparel and more. The critically acclaimed “Halo 3”, released on Tuesday, Sept. 25th 2007, is the fastest-selling video game ever, achieving $300 million in global sales its first week, making it one of the most successful entertainment properties in history. More information on Bungie can be found at http://www.bungie.net (http://www.bungie.net/).

http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=news&cid=12835

10-05-2007, 03:58 PM

This is unbelievable...

How could anyone suggest being a manatee is bad.

Gwot

10-05-2007, 04:23 PM

Congrats Nathan! To you and the rest of the bungie team. Great run with MS, and I'm sure it will only get better. This is win/win for both companies.

bentllama

10-05-2007, 05:14 PM

Congrats Nathan! To you and the rest of the bungie team. Great run with MS, and I'm sure it will only get better. This is win/win for both companies.

dude. i am gonna be back in London for the first 2 weeks of December. beers this time damnit!

Gwot

10-05-2007, 05:27 PM

Yeah that would be awesome!

heavyness

10-05-2007, 06:27 PM

congrats to bungie!

i wish them the best of luck [like they need it] and can't wait to see what their next project will be.

DDS

10-05-2007, 06:39 PM

This is awesome news...and I hope they move on something different than Halo this time :) Can't wait to see what bungie can produce by themselves.

NME-Se7eN

10-05-2007, 06:59 PM

Grim Beefer

10-05-2007, 07:10 PM

Is there now a possibility that Bungie titles will appear on consoles other than Microsoft's?

Lone Deranger

10-05-2007, 09:06 PM

Yeah, I would like to see Bungie going back to their roots. The Mac! :)

Is there now a possibility that Bungie titles will appear on consoles other than Microsoft's?

mdee

10-05-2007, 10:20 PM

Cheers guys, we need more independent developers. Really good move, best of luck with everything.

urgaffel

10-05-2007, 10:24 PM

Is there now a possibility that Bungie titles will appear on consoles other than Microsoft's?

That would depend on what the terms were for them to split from Microsoft. It's not impossible but I don't think Microsoft would be too pleased to see the technology Bungie developed with some help from their coffers being used on rival plattforms... I have of course no idea what the terms were or what kind if any relationship there is between MS and Bungie tech so don't listen to me ;) It might be something that shows up in the future of course.

Just as an example, who will develop the next Halo game? Who owns the IP? Does MS? Or is it a joint venture? Maybe Bungie? Lots of unknowns, but I do know that it will be very interesting to see what Bungie comes up with regarding new IPs and which they might revisit :)

mmkelly011881

10-05-2007, 10:29 PM

Bring on the slingshot!

Crazzy Legs

10-05-2007, 10:45 PM

I noticed something missing in the "about Bungie" section. Namely, this.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oni_%28video_game%29

Are you guys ashamed of that game? Am I to assume we'll NEVER see Oni 2? Konoko could make an awesome comback with todays technology and taking lessens learned from several other games in the genre. I felt Oni initially had great potential but the concept was beyond the time. C'mon... Konoko needs to return!

If you haven't already played the game with the "dev mode" options, you might enjoy them. I haven't yet, but am hoping to soon.
oni dev mode (http://wiki.oni2.net/index.php/Developer_Mode)

FloydBishop

10-05-2007, 11:38 PM

http://www.mindspring.com/%7Ecityzoo/mjohnson/papers/screens/images/Marathon.gif

For the PS3?

PLEASE!!!

BillSpradlin

10-05-2007, 11:51 PM

Cha-ching....

Geta-Ve

10-05-2007, 11:59 PM

dude. i am gonna be back in London for the first 2 weeks of December. beers this time damnit!
Yeah that would be awesome!

London..? London Ontario?! If so that is crazy I live like 45 minutes from said city (lowly Brantford) A hero in my midst! :D

Also (again assuming Ontario) I had no clue there was a studio around there. I assumed Toronto was the only place for studios in Ontario.

EDIT: Wow! I just blew my own mind with this link http://www.digitalextremes.com/careers.html

I had no clue a great studio like this was in London. Jesus. I suck. :D

Anyhow, I too would be interested to know if this means that games may be made for othr consoles now. And, Oni was cool :P

bentllama

10-06-2007, 12:52 AM

London..? London Ontario?! If so that is crazy I live like 45 minutes from said city (lowly Brantford) A hero in my midst! :D

Also (again assuming Ontario) I had no clue there was a studio around there. I assumed Toronto was the only place for studios in Ontario.

EDIT: Wow! I just blew my own mind with this link http://www.digitalextremes.com/careers.html

I had no clue a great studio like this was in London. Jesus. I suck. :D

Anyhow, I too would be interested to know if this means that games may be made for othr consoles now. And, Oni was cool :P

yeah London Ontario...my hometown. Shortly after I moved to the US for game dev [right out of Sheridan] Digital Extremes goes adn opens up a great shop in London, Ontario. Go figure. Gwot is the one getting all the ladies at the EB Games in White Oaks mall. :)

bentllama

10-06-2007, 12:52 AM

Cha-ching....

heh. lol.

Geta-Ve

10-06-2007, 01:01 AM

yeah London Ontario...my hometown. Shortly after I moved to the US for game dev [right out of Sheridan] Digital Extremes goes adn opens up a great shop in London, Ontario. Go figure. Gwot is the one getting all the ladies at the EB Games in White Oaks mall. :)

I am sure you would do it again though :)

By the way, you look so damn familiar, I am pretty sure I have seen you in a video interview or something crazy like that, I wish I could place my finger on it. grr!! :D

Kentaro

10-06-2007, 07:22 AM

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3163440

Bungie and MS will make other Halo games w/Peter Jackson

Bungie to Remain Focused on Xbox 360
But leaves the option open for the future.
By Patrick Klepek, 10/05/2007

Just because the relationship between Bungie Studios and Microsoft has changed doesn't mean Nintendo and Sony fans should start baiting Xbox fans on the message boards; for now, Bungie remains an Xbox 360-focused company.
"The Xbox has given us lot of success so, for now, our eyes are set on the Xbox 360," Bungie spokspeson Brian Jarrard told Reuters. "We're not in a situation where we're running out the door and grabbing Wii and PS3 development kits."
Still, Jarrard left the option on the table for the future. "There's not a real intention to do that [work on other platforms] unless something changes down the road."
Wonder what would change Bungie's mind?

subtlebluetones

10-06-2007, 08:51 AM

Array

10-06-2007, 03:22 PM

I noticed something missing in the "about Bungie" section. Namely, this.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oni_%28video_game%29

Are you guys ashamed of that game? Am I to assume we'll NEVER see Oni 2? Konoko could make an awesome comback with todays technology and taking lessens learned from several other games in the genre. I felt Oni initially had great potential but the concept was beyond the time. C'mon... Konoko needs to return!

Heheh, there's a big Oni wall scroll hanging in the office where I work. I had totaly forgotten that Bungie made that game until I saw the prominent Bungie logo on said scroll.

mummey

10-06-2007, 03:32 PM

Great for Bungie, but kinda SuxZ0rZ for MS no?

Actually, I think it helps both.

Microsoft having a good relationship with a AAA game developer means they'll know how to treat other game developers. If MS starts doing something stupid to the third-party developers, Bungie can go "WTF!?! Cut it out!" and and MS stops it before its lost too much of its goodwill.

In addition, this allows Bungie to use the best tools and techniques, which at some point may not be the one's MS provides, so when MS comes asking:

MS: "So what are you using these days on your new title?"

Bungie: "Well, this and this and this."

MS: "Oh, f***..."

and then they can go make sure their tools don't suck.

Granted, this is all mindless speculation. I've only even been up to Redmond once in my life.

NME-Se7eN

10-06-2007, 04:02 PM

Great for Bungie, but kinda SuxZ0rZ for MS no?

I just cant understand why they would do it, and what they got out of it. If i owned the Halo franchise, theres no WAY id let that one go free, as bad as it sounds.

I can understand there were definately clauses and contracts with this agreement, but it is still quite a shock.

Bungie was like a jewel in their xbox crown. Its like Bungie is a good friend of theirs, and MS has their interests at heart, and wants them to be happy. Which is nice and all, but from a business point of view its just crazy?!!

Maybe its a PR thing...

I don't think they LET the Halo franchise go free. After all, the Peter Jackson games are still on, as is the Ensemble Studios Halo Wars. That's a feather that stays in their cap.

I think we can now consider Bungie just like Polyphony Digital. Aka, Sony doesn't OWN Polyphony Digital. They OWN Gran Turismo. Polyphony is free to go multiplat whenever they want. Just not with GT. But Sony treats them sooo well and funnels enough money to make GT that it's just not economically viable to leave that umbrella permanently. I think we'll see that with Bungie as well.

Teyon

10-08-2007, 01:16 AM

I don't think they LET the Halo franchise go free. After all, the Peter Jackson games are still on, as is the Ensemble Studios Halo Wars. That's a feather that stays in their cap.

I think we can now consider Bungie just like Polyphony Digital. Aka, Sony doesn't OWN Polyphony Digital. They OWN Gran Turismo. Polyphony is free to go multiplat whenever they want. Just not with GT. But Sony treats them sooo well and funnels enough money to make GT that it's just not economically viable to leave that umbrella permanently. I think we'll see that with Bungie as well.

Polyphony Digital Inc. is a subsidiary of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., so Sony does have more than just GT in that relationship.

It's great that Bungie can step out on their own. I really hope it helps the company explore themselves more and leads to great games (on any platform).

shouroujin

10-08-2007, 05:10 AM

a great team!:)

Imhotep397

10-08-2007, 07:07 PM

Great for Bungie, but kinda SuxZ0rZ for MS no?

I just cant understand why they would do it, and what they got out of it. If i owned the Halo franchise, theres no WAY id let that one go free, as bad as it sounds.

I can understand there were definately clauses and contracts with this agreement, but it is still quite a shock.

Bungie was like a jewel in their xbox crown. Its like Bungie is a good friend of theirs, and MS has their interests at heart, and wants them to be happy. Which is nice and all, but from a business point of view its just crazy?!!

Maybe its a PR thing...

Take into account Bungie was independent and successful prior to Microsoft buying them. Halo was finished and previews of the game were getting rave reviews and Microsoft needed a name to legitimize their console business, so Bungie had a lot of leverage in the negotiations. More likely than not the original contract would only have lasted for two or three Halo sequels to begin with and Microsoft owns the Halo IP rights. I suspect Microsoft is chomping at the bit to have some other development team do 3 more Halo sequels with Bungie "Consulting" and I'm sure Bungie is more than ready to shed the "MS lackey" label, especially since they started out as a Mac only game development company. I suspect Marathon on all platforms/OS's is pretty high on the Bungie to do list.

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