Bungie Is Losing Its Independence — Destiny Studio to Become More Deeply Integrated Into PlayStation

It’s a far cry from when Sony acquired Bungie for $3.6 billion in 2022, with the promise that the studio would remain independent under the PlayStation umbrella. At the time, Bungie was expected to operate on its own terms, despite technically becoming a Sony-owned company.

Since then, however, things have become more uncertain. Destiny 2 has seen mixed responses to recent updates, with player engagement fluctuating, granted the game is getting on in years now. Meanwhile, Bungie’s upcoming shooter Marathon faced heavy backlash over stolen artwork and was delayed as a result.

Sony says Bungie’s independence is “getting tighter” says Sony

Sony CFO Lin Tao has confirmed that Bungie is now becoming more integrated into PlayStation Studios. Describing it as a gradual shift, Tao stated that the studio’s independence is “getting tighter,” a notable change from Bungie’s original status as an “independent subsidiary” following its $3.6 billion acquisition.

At the time of the deal, Bungie was promised creative freedom and operational autonomy. But in the years since, the studio has faced mounting challenges. In 2024, Bungie laid off around 220 employees amid declining player engagement. Reports also surfaced that CEO Pete Parsons had spent $2.4 million on classic cars since the Sony buyout, drawing criticism from fans and former staff.

Bungie’s involvement within Sony already felt significant, as it was tasked with consulting on other live-service projects in development across PlayStation Studios. One of the most notable examples was The Last of Us: Factions. According to multiple reports, Bungie raised concerns about the game’s long-term viability, which ultimately led to the project being paused and later cancelled.

Meanwhile, Bungie’s next big project, Marathon, has struggled publicly. The game received backlash for its visual direction and was further delayed after fans uncovered stolen artwork used in-game. Bungie has since removed the assets and scaled back its marketing while addressing community concerns.

Bungie’s PlayStation shift likely won’t impact Xbox

Bungie’s growing integration into PlayStation may cause concern for some Xbox players, but there’s more to it than meets the eye. Sony appears to be shifting its strategy, becoming more open to supporting platforms it once overlooked.

In the case of Destiny, there’s no indication of a pullback. Seasonal content is still rolling out as planned, with Ashes and Iron launching in September across all available platforms.

For Xbox players, nothing is expected to change; Bungie’s titles will likely always remain available on Xbox hardware, even as the studio becomes more closely aligned with PlayStation. It’s a strange moment where Sony is tightening control over its studios while also opening up their games to more players than ever before.

Marathon and Helldivers 2 signal Sony’s growing interest in Xbox releases

Despite criticisms of the game, Marathon — Bungie's upcoming sci-fi extraction shooter — is still confirmed to be released on Xbox and PC, alongside PlayStation. Initially, this seemed possible only because Bungie retained a level of independence following its acquisition by Sony.

However, recent developments suggest that Sony itself is leading the change when it comes to bringing live-service titles to Xbox. Helldivers 2, published by Sony, is now officially coming to Xbox in August 2025.

Arrowhead CEO Shams Jorjani clarified on Discord that “it was all PlayStation,” confirming that Sony pushed for the release. The move marks a noticeable shift in strategy, showing that Sony is increasingly open to expanding its reach beyond its own console and PC platforms – especially for games designed to thrive with larger, cross-platform audiences.