As Destiny 2 struggles, Bungie will reportedly face a total Sony takeover if it doesn't hit financial goals
Dec. 6, 2023Sounds like there’s more hinging on Destiny 2: The Final Shape than we previously knew
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Destiny 2studioBungiecould reportedly lose its independence underSonyif it fails to meet certain financial goals.
PerIGN, the late-October layoffs at Bungie were part of cost-cutting measures taken to avoid a total takeover by Sony,which bought the studio early last year for $3.6 billion. Even after the layoffs, several current and former Bungie employees were reportedly present at a department meeting in which they were told the board would be at risk of dissolution if Bungie falls short of its revenue goals.
IGNreports Bungie is still technically considered, at least as far as its contract is concerned, a fully independent subsidiary of Sony. Its board of directors currently consists of PlayStation Studios boss Hermen Hulst, Sony senior VP Eric Lempel, Bungie co-founder Jason Jones, Bungie CTO Luis Villegas, and Bungie CEO Pete Parsons, who has the power to cast tie-breaking votes.
Though Sony execs have a good share of control over the board, the majority is currently controlled by Bungie representatives. However, that split structure of the board has reportedly been contingent on the studio reaching financial results, and that’s at least partially why Bungie leadership decided to layoff more than 100 employees in October - an attempt to improve revenue figures to stave off the point at which Sony would be legally able to dissolve the board and assume full control of Bungie.
Under threat of more layoffs and possible loss of creative control, suddenly that promise takes on a whole new, and decidedly more existential, connotation.
Despite its current low season, Destiny 2 still holds the top spot on our list of thebest FPS games.
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After scoring a degree in English from ASU, I worked as a copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. Now, as GamesRadar’s west coast Staff Writer, I’m responsible for managing the site’s western regional executive branch, AKA my apartment, and writing about whatever horror game I’m too afraid to finish.
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