Bungie, LLC

Moby ID: 110

AKA +
  • Bungie Studios (from 2000-06-19 to 2007-10-05)
  • Bungie Software Products Corporation (from 1991-05 to 2000-06-18)

Overview edit · view history

Bungie Studios was founded as Bungie Software Products Corporation in May 1991 by Alex Seropian. Originally most famous for the Myth and Marathon series, the company's best-received accomplishment is the Halo series created after the acquisition by Microsoft in June 2000.

By 2000, the company had a separate studio called Bungie West in San Jose, California, which was tasked with developing Oni. After shipping the game, it was merged back into Bungie proper in Redmond, Washington.

After developing 3 Halo games, which became a flagship for the Xbox consoles, Microsoft announced in October 2007 that Bungie would become independent again. Microsoft retained an equity interest in the company and have a publishing agreement for the Microsoft-owned Halo intellectual property as well as other future properties developed by Bungie.

In October 2008, the company revealed that the expansion pack Halo 3: ODST would be the last project in the first-person shooter trilogy that the company planned to undertake.

In April 2010, Bungie revealed to have signed a 10-year contract with publisher Activision, granting the company exclusive, worldwide rights to publish and distribute all future games. Bungie held the rights to all the intellectual property. The contract was terminated by Bungie on 10 January 2019 due to differences between the companies over the future of the Destiny franchise. As a result, the game Destiny 2 had to be migrated from Battle.net to Steam.

On 31 January 2022, the company was acquired by Sony Interactive Entertainment, but separately from the PlayStation Studios label.

Credited on 39 Games from 1990 to 2023

Displaying most recent · View all

Destiny 2: Lightfall + Annual Pass (2023 on Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series...)
Halo 3: ODST (2020 on Windows, Windows Apps)
Halo 3 (2020 on Windows, Windows Apps)
Halo 2: Anniversary (2020 on Windows, Windows Apps)
Halo: Combat Evolved - Anniversary (2020 on Windows, Windows Apps)
Destiny 2: Upgrade Edition (2019 on Xbox One, Windows, PlayStation 4)
Halo: Reach (2019 on Windows, Windows Apps)
Destiny 2: The Collection (2019 on Stadia)
Destiny 2 (2017 on Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One)
Destiny: The Taken King (2015 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One)
Halo: The Master Chief Collection (2014 on Xbox One)
Destiny (2014 on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4...)
Halo: Combat Evolved - Anniversary (2011 on Xbox 360)
Halo: Reach (2010 on Xbox 360, Xbox One)
Halo 3: ODST (2009 on Xbox 360)
Halo 3 (2007 on Xbox 360)
Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse (2005 on Windows, Xbox, Xbox 360...)
Halo 2 (2004 on Windows, Xbox)
Halo: Custom Edition (2004 on Windows)
Halo: Combat Evolved (2001 on Windows, Xbox, Xbox 360...)

[ view all ]

History +

October 30, 2023

Company lays off an undisclosed amount of employees, including long-time composer Michael Salvatori.

January 31, 2022

Company acquired by Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc..

October 5, 2007

Bungie Studios becomes the privately held independent company, Bungie, LLC. Previously a Microsoft development studio, Bungie becomes independent again and Microsoft holds a minority equity interest.

June 19, 2000

Bungie Studios acquired by Microsoft.

May 1991

Company founded by Alex Seropian.

Trivia +

Bungie has been toying with the ARG genre (Alternate Reality Games) for quite a while. These games deliberately blur the line between the in game and out of game experiences. In the same spirit of The Beast, an ARG to promote the film Artificial Intelligence, Bungie has been sending out cryptic messages since 1999 from a certain Cortana, which seem to have Durandal from the Marathon games speaking.

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