Bungie has been at the center of some of gaming’s biggest moments. Founded in 1991 by Alex Seropian in Chicago, the studio first gained attention with the Marathon series on Mac before creating Halo: Combat Evolved, which launched alongside the original Xbox in 2001 and became the killer app that legitimized Microsoft’s console.
Halo wasn’t just a commercial success, it fundamentally changed console gaming. It proved that first-person shooters could work with a controller, established Xbox Live’s multiplayer community, and spawned a franchise that’s sold over 82 million copies. Bungie developed Halo through Halo: Reach before parting ways with Microsoft in 2007 to become independent again.
The studio then partnered with Activision to create Destiny, a shared-world shooter that launched in 2014. The original Destiny had a rocky start but built a loyal community. Destiny 2, released in 2017, became Bungie’s live-service flagship. The game’s seasonal content model and raid activities kept players engaged for years, though the player base has fluctuated significantly.
Sony acquired Bungie in 2022 for $3.6 billion, making it a PlayStation studio while allowing it to continue shipping Destiny 2 on all platforms. The acquisition hasn’t been entirely smooth. Bungie went through two rounds of layoffs in 2023 and 2024, reducing headcount by about 30%. Internal restructuring brought the studio closer to Sony’s oversight than originally planned.
Bungie is working on at least one new IP alongside continued Destiny content. The company’s expertise in gunplay mechanics and live-service operations remains highly respected in the industry, even as it navigates a transitional period under Sony’s ownership.
