Next Bungie game to be MMO first-person shooter?
Bungie could be planning to launch an massively multiplayer online shooter with Activision Blizzard, according to a new report. The game could be called Destiny.
Famed Halo developer Bungie is working on a new title that could be quite different from what it has offered in the past.
Bungie is working on a massively multiplayer online (MMO) first-person shooter, currently named "Destiny," gaming blog Kotaku is reporting, citing an unnamed source. The source told Kotaku that the title is built on a new graphics engine that Bungie has developed, and will live completely online. The person told the gaming blog that the title is basically a "World of Warcraft in space."
This isn't the first time that rumors have cropped up claiming Bungie is working on an MMO. At the E3 video game expo last year, Activision COO Thomas Tippl told IGN that Bungie was intrigued by the "institutional knowledge that sits at Blizzard." Blizzard, which is part of the wider Activision Blizzard corporation, is best known for developing World of Warcraft, the most-popular MMO in the world.
Tippl's comments were followed up with another hint given to IGN in September by Microsoft Game Studios Vice President Phil Spencer. He wouldn't say if Bungie was working on an MMO, but he acknowledged that the developer plans "to do something interesting in the online space."
Whatever the game is, it will be published by Activision Blizzard. Last year, Bungie announced that it had signed a 10-year deal with Activision Blizzard, making the game company its exclusive publisher for all future titles released in that period.
It's also worth noting that the upcoming game will not be a Halo title. Bungie completed work on the franchise with last year's release of Halo:Reach. The series will now be carried forward by Microsoft Game Studios, Bungie's former owner, through its internal division 343 Industries. The break between Microsoft Game Studios has also paved the way for future titles from Bungie to be multi-platform, running on the PlayStation 3 and Wii, in addition to the Xbox 360 and PC.
As for Bungie's as-yet announced title, don't expect it to be made available anytime soon.
Speaking during an earnings call last week, Activision CEO Eric Hirshberg said that the game won't hit store shelves this year, but will present a "new universe" for gamers to explore.
Activision Blizzard declined to comment on the rumor about Bungie's next game.