Acquisition Trend In Game Industry Continues, Sony Buys Halo Developer For IDR 51.6 Trillion

Sony has reportedly reached a deal to buy Halo and Destiny game maker Bungie. (photo: Doc. Bungie)

JAKARTA - The latest news from Sony is that it has reportedly reached an agreement to buy Halo and Destiny game maker Bungie. With this acquisition, the company intends to expand their lineup with some of the most popular franchises in the industry.

It's no surprise that Sony chose Bungie, as Bungie has created two of the most iconic game franchises, Halo and Destiny, and has a knack for bringing incredible immersive experiences at scale to the community through games that evolve and evolve over time.

"Bungie also has a very impressive roadmap for future content," said Jim Ryan, Head of Sony's PlayStation Division.

Sony didn't say how much it paid for the game maker, but according to a Bloomberg report, it cost $3.6 billion.

The move follows the announcement of plans for two other major gaming industry acquisitions this month. It was Microsoft that announced plans to buy Call of Duty and World of Warcraft developer Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion, and Take-Two Interactive said it plans to buy FarmVille developer Zynga for $12.7 billion.

Citing CNET, Tuesday, February 1, both Sony and Bungie said the deal would allow Sony to develop a stable immersive gaming world, while giving Bungie the creative independence it has relied on.

“This is a strategic step to continue to develop the gaming experience that we have built. This partnership will bring new, inspiring experiences to both the PlayStation community and the community Bungie has built," said Ryan.

Still, the deal is likely to spark more pros and cons in the gaming industry, which has seen massive purchases of games like adventure titles Fallout, Kim Kardashian: Hollywood, and Candy Crush Saga.

With Bungie, Sony is effectively buying one big game, Destiny, as well as the developers behind it. But Bungie also represents an industry-defining developer, having created the game Halo, which has become a multibillion-dollar franchise across games, books, TV shows, toys, and more since its launch in 2001.

However, Sony revealed to GamesIndustry.biz that the planned deal has been in the works for almost half a year, and it plans more acquisitions in the future.