Bungie denies Microsoft has been in talks to acquire the studio

Bungie CEO Pete Parsons has denied multiple reports that Microsoft has been in talks to reacquire the studio.

VentureBeat made the claim on a recent podcast and it was corroborated by Eurogamer’s sources.

While Microsoft was reportedly keen to add Bungie to Xbox Game Studios, and the developer is said to have wanted to raise additional funds, it’s claimed discussions stalled after the companies failed to agree on a sale price.

However, Bungie CEO Pete Parsons has cast doubt on the reports, labelling the claims incorrect.

Microsoft previously owned Bungie between 2000 and 2007, during which time the studio developed Halo, Halo 2 and Halo 3. It went on to develop 2009’s Halo 3: ODST and 2010’s Halo: Reach.

In 2010 Bungie signed a ten-year publishing deal with Activision for the Destiny franchise, although the partnership ended early when the companies split in January 2019.

In July 2020, Bungie revealed Destiny 2’s next three expansions and committed to the game’s long-term future as a service title. The first of the upcoming expansions, Beyond Light, will launch in November 2020.

During the VentureBeat podcast it was also claimed that Xbox is spending a lot of money on something “that isn’t an acquisition”.

According to the site, the platform holder is lining up a key exclusive for its Xbox platform, which could potentially be related to a Game Pass title.

“I have heard that Microsoft is spending a lot of money on something that isn’t an acquisition,” journalist Jeff Grubb said. “It’s not an acquisition and the way it was phrased to me, it would be a big deal.”

Further reading

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