Bungie's Highly Anticipated Next IP: Unveiling the Exciting Release Window!

Bungie is actively working on Destiny 2 and the reboot of Marathon. However, there are indications that their third new IP, referred to as Matter, may not be as far along as some players may expect. Information on Matter has been scarce in 2023 as Bungie focuses on their current known titles. Interestingly, this new information comes from the legal litigation surrounding Microsoft's proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

In Destiny 2's current season, Season of the Deep, Titan has returned to the Sol System after disappearing during the Beyond Light expansion in 2020. Guardians have been called upon by Deputy Commander Sloane to protect a creature residing under the methane waves on the moon. It is believed that this creature holds valuable information about The Witness. However, the Hive god Xivu Arath and her forces are actively opposing Sloane's plans for the creature's protection.

Matter, a new project, could potentially be released in 2025, as indicated by recent documents from Microsoft's FTC hearings. These documents include an assessment conducted by Microsoft in 2021, which highlights Bungie's plans for expansion and game support at that time. Notably, the evaluation mentions that the studio has significantly increased its headquarters' size and was on track to establish its first international office in Amsterdam in 2022. This office would primarily focus on the support and development of Destiny 2 as well as Matter.

Microsoft's internal evaluation aligns with other reports suggesting their interest in acquiring Bungie, as well as Sega, in 2020. During that period, Bungie was actively developing a new IP called Matter and had secured a $100 million investment from Chinese tech company NetEase for the project. Following this announcement, updates on the studio's progress became scarce, although it has been confirmed that their Marathon reboot is a separate project from the third IP.

Since the evaluation, significant changes have taken place at Bungie on the business side, as they are no longer an independent studio. In July 2022, Sony acquired the studio for approximately $3.6 billion, making it part of their roster of first-party studios, including Sucker Punch and Insomniac. It remains unclear if the previously stated 2025 release window mentioned in the 2021 evaluation is still accurate or if the launch of the new IP may be further delayed than anticipated by players.

Destiny 2 is currently available for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

Source: IGN