It's official: Bungie breaks free of Microsoft

[AppleInsider]

The rumors were true -- Microsoft Corp. on Friday announced a plan for Bungie Studios, developers of the "Halo" franchise, to embark on a path as an independent company.

Under the terms of the deal, Microsoft will retain an equity interest in Bungie, at the same time continuing its long-standing publishing agreement for the Microsoft-owned "Halo" intellectual property as well as other future properties developed by Bungie.

"While we are supporting Bungie’s desire to return to its independent roots, we will continue to invest in our 'Halo' entertainment property with Bungie and other partners, such as Peter Jackson, on a new interactive series set in the 'Halo' universe," said Shane Kim, corporate vice president of Microsoft Game Studios. "We look forward to great success with Bungie as our long-term relationship continues to evolve through 'Halo'-related titles and new IP created by Bungie."

In a press release issued by Microsoft, Bungie studio head Harold Ryan said the move will enable the game developer to expand in its mission to "create world-class games," but said his team "will continue to develop with our primary focus on Microsoft platforms."

"[We] greatly value our mutually prosperous relationship with our publisher, Microsoft Game Studios," he said, "and we look forward to continuing that affiliation through 'Halo' and beyond."

Rumors earlier this week of Bungie's desire to break free of Microsoft, which acquired the studio back in 2000, brought hope that Bungie would again be free to pursue games for non-Microsoft platforms, including the Mac, PlayStation 3, and Wii.

In speaking to Macworld, Brian Jarrard, franchising director at Bungie, said a return to the Mac could indeed be a possibility.

"But sure, now that we’re branching of and controlling our destiny, that puts us in a position where we could put ourselves back on the [Mac] platform definitively again," he said.

Bungie was originally conceived as a Mac-only game company back in 1991 under the name Bungie Software Products Corporation by two undergraduate students at the University of Chicago. For nine years it produced hit titles for the Mac such as Marathon, Myth, and Oni, before being courted by Microsoft, which eventually put a end to Mac development.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[emig647]

Am I still spiteful @ m$ stealing Bungie from the world? Yes.

Am I still spiteful @ Bungie for accepting the deal and turning their backs on macs? Yes.

They should have known this would happen when dealing with a company like M$.

[SpamSandwich]

...wish they'd resurrect Marathon in a new format.

[godrifle]

Bring on Marathon. That was one of (if not *the*) most fun games I've ever played.

[Zandros]

Is Microsoft's "Right of First Refusal" part of the deal or not?

/Adrian

[Ireland]

Bungie breaks free

Hopefully there's water below.

Spelled differently - poetic license.

[Booga]

Originally Posted by emig647

Am I still spiteful @ m$ stealing Bungie from the world? Yes.

Am I still spiteful @ Bungie for accepting the deal and turning their backs on macs? Yes.

They should have known this would happen when dealing with a company like M$.

Yeah, from what I understand "Bungie" is just the name of a company now. Enough turnover and Microsoft's influence made it just another company now that happens to share the same name as the old Mac game maker. Our "Bungie" has been long dead.

[tomozj]

Originally Posted by Booga

Yeah, from what I understand "Bungie" is just the name of a company now. Enough turnover and Microsoft's influence made it just another company now that happens to share the same name as the old Mac game maker. Our "Bungie" has been long dead.

I have to say that I shouted a loud "Woohoo!!!!!" when I read this. Excellent news.

[Clive At Five]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Bungie breaks free

I see you use the word "free" liberally... MS might not be their parent company any longer, but you know they will drive them to produce Halo this and that until it's not even fun anymore... in typical Microsoft fashion.

And they'll probably attempt to destract them from other projects with more Halo work.

I predict very little out of Bungie beyond Halo. Once MS's lapdog, always MS's lapdog.

-Clive

[roehlstation]

Think I might break out the old Marathon Disks and play it on one of my old machines this weekend. Ah Nostalgia.

[britwithgoodteeth]

Originally Posted by emig647

Am I still spiteful @ m$ stealing Bungie from the world? Yes.

Am I still spiteful @ Bungie for accepting the deal and turning their backs on macs? Yes.

They should have known this would happen when dealing with a company like M$.

[suhail]

Under the terms of the deal, Microsoft will retain an equity interest in Bungie, at the same time continuing its long-standing publishing agreement for the Microsoft-owned "Halo" intellectual property as well as other future properties developed by Bungie.

To me this statement says that MS owns Halo and any future properties developed by Bungie. How is that a breakup then?

[Booga]

Originally Posted by suhail

To me this statement says that MS owns Halo and any future properties developed by Bungie. How is that a breakup then?

"publishing agreement" for "other future properties"... the publisher isn't the owner. MS is apparently retaining the rights to "Halo" in the breakup (even though it was mostly developed before Microsoft bought Bungie), but not future works.

[mgkwho]

While I realized you copied the quote from Bungie, it's branching off not "of."

-=|Mgkwho

[dontlookleft]

i could go for some halo 3 on mac. =]

but i'm not getting my hopes up too high.

i'll just play it via boot camp and skip the whole red ring of death on the 360.

[ecking]

Mac game publishing is no big deal anyways. Only 3 models have their own gpu. With the ground being gained by macbooks a huge percentage of mac users can't even consider games. Of course if there was a mid tower....

[JeffDM]

There is one part to these stories that I don't understand. How can Bungie can break free of MS when MS bought them? Wouldn't MS have to be the one that's letting them go? Or was it just an indentured servitude that had some sort of "out" clause?

[mdriftmeyer]

Where's that little meggot from the other day who wasted our time by creating an account to tell us that this would never happen?

@JeffDM: Not all buyouts are what they appear to be. There are various clauses that either must be met, after being met, etc.

[suhail]

Originally Posted by ecking

Mac game publishing is no big deal anyways. Only 3 models have their own gpu. With the ground being gained by macbooks a huge percentage of mac users can't even consider games. Of course if there was a mid tower....

big YES for a mid tower.

[emig647]

^ +1 for Mid tower (PROSUMER TOWER PLEASE)

[minderbinder]

Originally Posted by Clive At Five

I see you use the word "free" liberally... MS might not be their parent company any longer, but you know they will drive them to produce Halo this and that until it's not even fun anymore... in typical Microsoft fashion.

That's probably a big part of the reason they wanted to split off. They'll probably still do some more halo stuff but will do other projects as well. Don't forget that MS owns the Halo concept and characters, they'll probably just farm out future Halo stuff to other developers. They already have a Halo RTS in progress that bungie isn't doing.

Originally Posted by suhail

To me this statement says that MS owns Halo and any future properties developed by Bungie. How is that a breakup then?

That statement isn't worded right. MS owns the halo rights. They just plan to continue working together, but MS doesn't own their future stuff, and they can develop for other platforms down the road.

Originally Posted by JeffDM

There is one part to these stories that I don't understand. How can Bungie can break free of MS when MS bought them? Wouldn't MS have to be the one that's letting them go? Or was it just an indentured servitude that had some sort of "out" clause?

MS did let them go. The key Bungie guys likely threatened to leave and start their own shop, or they just offered to buy out the studio from MS.


And I totally agree with the midtower thing, a budget headless box with basic expandability is WAY overdue.

[buddha]

what's microsoft?

[iconsumer]

Originally Posted by buddha

what's microsoft?

check between ur legs,

[Elixir]

i dont get some of you. why do you even care? i dont like my mac platform for gaming, hell, i dont even like PC's for gaming. its too expensive to keep the system running high enough for todays games.

i love my xbox 360, its the only thing from microsoft that i ever loved. halo wouldn't be what halo is today if it weren't for microsoft. the game was supposed to be a stupid RTS on the mac platform for christ sakes.

i hope bungie isn't being stupid about their "creative abilities" and attempt to put out other pointless games. sure, a really cool new IP wouldn't be bad but i hope they aren't over confident.

halo is the best FPS out there, and i love it. i hope this is more about money and politics more than anything. bungie just wants more money, and they want their own rules. microsoft was smart for allowing them that flexibility rather than lose key figures from the company.

[camimac]

Originally Posted by emig647

Am I still spiteful @ m$ stealing Bungie from the world? Yes.

Am I still spiteful @ Bungie for accepting the deal and turning their backs on macs? Yes.

They should have known this would happen when dealing with a company like M$.

Yeah, as if Apple ever did anything to keep them on board. Microsoft might have been the control freak Bungie didn't want to have, but at least Microsoft took them seriously.

[esXXI]

Originally Posted by Elixir

i dont get some of you. why do you even care? i dont like my mac platform for gaming, hell, i dont even like PC's for gaming. its too expensive to keep the system running high enough for todays games.

This is bigger than just effecting Mac gaming. It effectively means Bungie is enabled to develop new games for whatever platform they wish, whether that be PC, Mac, Wii, PS3 or X360.

[rdmccampbell]

Even though I really hate Microsoft, it made Bungie what it is today. Microsoft gave Bungie the budget and resources to make Halo as good as it is. Wired did a article on it---> The Wired article

[nvidia2008]

Originally Posted by dontlookleft

i could go for some halo 3 on mac. =]

but i'm not getting my hopes up too high.

i'll just play it via boot camp and skip the whole red ring of death on the 360.

Halo2 is Vista only. I'd like to try it and Halo3, but honestly, I'm not holding my breath for it since I use Mac or a XP2ProPC (the only way to slum it when using a PCee). ...Halo3 is not fully announced yet for Pre-Order on PC? Only XBOX360??

I just installed RAID on a PC at work today. Mmmmm 3.5" drives, old skool.
A good sense of satisfaction when it was done though.

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by Elixir

halo wouldn't be what halo is today if it weren't for microsoft. the game was supposed to be a stupid RTS on the mac platform for christ sakes.

What? I've never heard anything like that, that doesn't even make sense.

[Elixir]

Originally Posted by JeffDM

What? I've never heard anything like that, that doesn't even make sense.

you really believe Halo would have been this popular if it was on the MAC? would halo 2 have even come out?

it would have ended up another Marathon.

[roker]

Originally Posted by JeffDM

What? I've never heard anything like that, that doesn't even make sense.

it's true though

it started out as a sci-fi rts with a Myth influences

[iPoster]

Originally Posted by Elixir

halo wouldn't be what halo is today if it weren't for microsoft. the game was supposed to be a stupid RTS on the mac platform for christ sakes.

Wait, what?

halo is the best FPS out there

You're certainly entitled to your opinion, but I have to say

[Chucker]

Originally Posted by iPoster

Wait, what?

Yes indeed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halo:_C...ed#Development

Bungie Studios later stated an even earlier development build of the game centered on real-time strategy and was "basically Myth in a sci-fi universe."

[In mid-2000,] Bungie Studios rewrote the game's engine, heavily altering its presentation and turning it into a first-person shooter.

The Halo that eventually got released has little to do with the original demos.

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by Elixir

you really believe Halo would have been this popular if it was on the MAC? would halo 2 have even come out?

it would have ended up another Marathon.

I didn't say it would be popular, but you said it was going to be released on the Mac as an RTS if Microsoft didn't get involved. It doesn't look clear to me if the MS acquisition was the cause or not. It wasn't going to be Mac-only either.

[durandal]

Originally Posted by roehlstation

Think I might break out the old Marathon Disks and play it on one of my old machines this weekend. Ah Nostalgia.

Well, you don't have to use one of your old machines... Bungie released the source to Marathon 2 several years ago - so now you can play it on MacOS X as well. Just recently I played through Marathon Infinity on my Intel iMac:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/marathon/

best,
durandal

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by durandal

Well, you don't have to use one of your old machines... Bungie released the source to Marathon 2 several years ago - so now you can play it on MacOS X as well. Just recently I played through Marathon Infinity on my Intel iMac:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/marathon/

best,
durandal

Marathon is also available for the XBox360 as a download. I've played it on a friend's system, it supports four players on the same screen, in HD I think. I think it's equivalent to $10 of their weird little point system.

[kim kap sol]

Originally Posted by Elixir

i love my xbox 360, its the only thing from microsoft that i ever loved. halo wouldn't be what halo is today if it weren't for microsoft. the game was supposed to be a stupid RTS on the mac platform for christ sakes.

And it ended up being a retarded FPS.

The demo at MW clearly showed that it was a 3rd person shooter before Microsoft had its eyes set on Bungie. The game engine was mostly done and the game/story design was in progress. The scheduled release date was a year after the demo.

Then the MS-bomb dropped on Mac users.

Halo would never have been what it is today if it weren't for MS? True. It would probably have be better for starters. It would be less popular, I agree. MS marketing dollars and the fact that the xbox has very little AAA titles makes it easy for Halo to nab the "most popular game on xbox" award. But popularity and quality are two different things. I'd rather have a quality product than a popular one. I'm sure you somewhat agree considering you use a Mac.

Perhaps the very early development started off using the Myth engine...I saw a video of this on the internet...I bet it's on YouTube too...but this was a loooong time ago...before the MW demo and way before MS nabbed Bungie.

[TheMadMilkman]

Originally Posted by kim kap sol

Halo would never have been what it is today if it weren't for MS? True. It would probably have be better for starters. It would be less popular, I agree. MS marketing dollars and the fact that the xbox has very little AAA titles makes it easy for Halo to nab the "most popular game on xbox" award. But popularity and quality are two different things. I'd rather have a quality product than a popular one. I'm sure you somewhat agree considering you use a Mac.

Halo Multiplayer WAS good. Hell, it still IS good.

[Elixir]

Originally Posted by kim kap sol

And it ended up being a retarded FPS.

The demo at MW clearly showed that it was a 3rd person shooter before Microsoft had its eyes set on Bungie. The game engine was mostly done and the game/story design was in progress. The scheduled release date was a year after the demo.

Then the MS-bomb dropped on Mac users.

Halo would never have been what it is today if it weren't for MS? True. It would probably have be better for starters. It would be less popular, I agree. MS marketing dollars and the fact that the xbox has very little AAA titles makes it easy for Halo to nab the "most popular game on xbox" award. But popularity and quality are two different things. I'd rather have a quality product than a popular one. I'm sure you somewhat agree considering you use a Mac.

Perhaps the very early development started off using the Myth engine...I saw a video of this on the internet...I bet it's on YouTube too...but this was a loooong time ago...before the MW demo and way before MS nabbed Bungie.

i have to disagree with you on every level. halo was the spiritual successor to golden eye, the first FPS to turn console fans on to that genre. halo did everything right as a shooter. dont fool yourself, halo isn't just about "hype" and "marketing"

the game is loved by millions of people. this isn't hollywood, someone doesn't go out and drop 60 dollars or more on a game and then play it over and over and over and over because of the PR department. are there some people that buy it and get bored? sure, but there are hundreds of thousands and maybe millions this time that will play this game for the next 4 years (or whenever the next halo comes out).

halo is what counterstrike was for the pc. its addicting and its by far the best shooter on any console. i hate when people say "wow its not the best shooter, its done what pc games have done for years" great, wonderful, i dont PC game and i will probably never PC game.

i'm sure it would have been a decent game on the mac but no where near what it became. on the original xbox it was the leading horse, maybe the only one. now the 360 has the best library of games this generation and halo is at the forefront again. it isn't by any means the only AAA game... maybe you should check around.

[WelshDog]

I'm thinking that the Bungie owners were shrewd deal makers (or at least hired shrewd lawyers). This sounds to me like they had a clause in the contract that allowed them to take Bungie independent when they met some sort of milestone. Someone alluded to this in an earlier post. Very interesting that this announcement comes shortly after Halo 3 sells $300 million in pre orders. Has anyone else EVER escaped from Microsoft? I mean really EVER? I think Bungie has done it.

These people knew what they were doing. AND when asked they freely admitted that they might be interested in developing for the Mac again. I find all this encouraging.