Missed revenue targets, the underwhelming performance of Destiny 2: The Final Shape, and Marathon’s various troubles led many to believe that Sony would exercise stronger control over Bungie. According to chief financial officer Lin Tao, the studio is currently in the process of “becoming part” of PlayStation Studios.
While Bungie was touted to remain fully independent at the time of its acquisition, that’s no longer the case due to “structural reform.” Tao explained in a recent Q&A session via interpreter (transcription by VGC), “About the governance of Bungie, at the time of acquisition, we were offering a very independent environment, so that was one way of thinking.
“However, thereafter, we have gone through structural reform, as we announced last year, so this independence is getting lighter, and Bungie is shifting into a role which is becoming more part of PlayStation Studios, and integration is proceeding. So in the long term, if you can see this as an ongoing process, the direction [for Bungie] is to become part of PlayStation Studios.”
Bungie has seen extensive troubles over recent years, including numerous layoffs and project cancellations, with one report alleging this was due to the company “overstating financial prospects.” The “deepening integration” began last year and led to numerous roles shifting to PlayStation in the wake of layoffs. Sony even spun out a new studio, teamLFG, to work on a new science fantasy IP.
When it will become part of PlayStation Studios remains to be seen, so stay tuned. In the meantime, Bungie is working on Marathon, which was delayed out of September. A new release date will be announced this Fall, with Sony expecting the extraction shooter to arrive by March 31st, 2026.
