Varios trabajadores de Bungie, hablan sobre la compra del estudio por parte de Sony

[url]https://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/2022/02/01/bungie-sony-buyout-destiny-2-developers/[/url]

Bungie employees who spoke with The Washington Post on condition of anonymity since they were not authorized to discuss the deal with media [b]expressed concern that Sony might cramp their style despite promises from leadership that the studio will continue to self-publish and be “creatively independent[/b]”. Some noted that those plans might change over time, as they have with other major video game studios that have been acquired by big publishers over the years. Bungie’s history of Hulking out of multiple publishing deals suggests that its developers may not comfortably fit into somebody else’s stable. [b]Developers also expressed their skepticism of an equity buyout program seemingly designed to retain staff[/b].

“I’m honestly not sure how to feel right now,” said one current Bungie employee. “I definitely didn’t see it coming. [b]I’m confident in Bungie’s desire to remain autonomous, but it really just remains to be seen how that’ll play out over the next few years.[/b]”

“We’re cautiously optimistic in my circles,” said another. “[b]If we remain as independent in design and direction as our leadership claims, it will be good, I think. However, Sony-owned studios are not famed for their great working conditions[/b]”.

[b]PlayStation subsidiaries like Naughty Dog and Sony Santa Monica are held in high regard for exactingly produced cinematic experiences in games like “The Last of Us” and “God of War,” but the former studio, especially, has gained a reported reputation for pushing passionate creatives to the brink with nigh-endless “crunch[/b]". [u]Bungie developers fear a future in which Sony’s hunger for constantly updated live service games forces their noses to the grindstone, though Monday’s meeting left them feeling like it will be business as usual for the time being[/u]

“[b]Based on everything I have heard today, there is no indication that we will be changing any of our day-to-day practices at Bungie,[/b]” one current employee said.

Even so, consolidation often means change over time — in both output and culture — and that’s where uncertainty lies.

“[b]It’s not clear how much we might plug into the Sony talent ecosystem as time goes on,[/b]” said one current Bungie employee.


[b]Another expressed excitement at the possibility of collaborating with other Sony studios[/b]. “Just simply from my own standpoint as a developer, us having access to the wealth of knowledge that not only Sony has, but all the other studios under their umbrella [have] makes me super excited,” they said. “[b]I can’t wait to learn what studios like Sucker Punch or [Sony] Santa Monica do under the hood[/b].”

“I am feeling very positive about this, as Sony has largely done right by its first-party studios,” said one current Bungie employee. “[b]Retaining our independence and ability to publish our games on any platform is huge, and I’m looking forward to what this means for the future of the studio[/b].”