New Delhi: As acquisitions in the video game space continue to heat up, Sony has announced its largest acquisition in the past decade, buying the US-based video game developer and Destiny franchise maker Bungie, for $3.6 billion. Sony has been a regular in acquiring video game studios and with this announcement, its shares jumped late on Monday. The Tokyo-headquartered tech giant also mentioned that Bungie will remain an independent and multi-platform studio and publisher.
"Bungie’s world-class expertise in multi-platform development and live game services will help us deliver on our vision of expanding PlayStation to hundreds of millions of gamers. Bungie is a great innovator and has developed incredible proprietary tools that will help PlayStation Studios achieve new heights under Hermen Hulst’s leadership," Jim Ryan President and CEO, Sony Interactive Entertainment, said in a statement.
"As such, we believe it makes sense for it to sit alongside the PlayStation Studios organization, and we are incredibly excited about the opportunities for synergies and collaboration between these two world-class groups," Ryan added.
According to the Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO, he has spent a lot of time with Pete Parsons, Jason Jones, and the Bungie management team to develop the right relationships. The senior Bungie officials have been assured that they would be fully backed and supported by Sony Interactive Entertainment and enabled to do build incredible worlds that captivate millions of people.
“I am absolutely thrilled to announce a new member will be joining the PlayStation family! I’ve been a fan of Bungie for many years. I have admired and enjoyed the games that they create – and have great respect for their skill in building worlds that gamers want to explore again and again," said Hermen Hulst, Head of PlayStation Studios.
“We believe games have limitless potential, and that to do anything worthwhile in entertainment, we must bet big on our vision, on our studio, and on our incredible team of trusted creators who build unforgettable worlds that truly matter to people. In Sony, we have found a partner who unconditionally supports us in all we are and who wants to accelerate our vision to create generation-spanning entertainment, all while preserving the creative independence that beats in Bungie’s heart," noted Pete Parsons, CEO of Bungie.