Sony purchasing Bungie suggests there is destined to be a Destiny TV series to rival Xbox’s Halo series. Sony Playstation isn’t just a video game developer; it also has an entertainment studio now. In 2019 Sony announced that Playstation was rolling out its own production studio for movies and television called Playstation Productions. Playstation games are known for their brilliant storytelling and world-building and are just begging to be adapted. Uncharted, starring Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg, came out in February and was the first feature film from Playstation Productions. The studio is also currently developing a Ghost of Tsushima film and a The Last of Us TV series, with the latter starring The Mandalorian's Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, set to premiere on HBO Max sometime next year.
Playstation and Xbox have been rivals in the video game industry for years, and now that rivalry has adapted into the streaming wars. Playstation acquiring Bungie may seem small compared to Microsoft buying Activision. Still, at only $3.6 billion, it was a good investment since they also acquired the Destiny IP for Playstation Productions. Both companies have entered unknown waters as they try to adapt their exclusive games for television and movies.
Destiny is ripe for adaptation as a sci-fi lover’s dream. The game is set in a dystopian future, where the human race has nearly tripled its life span and can traverse the galaxy thanks to the discovery of something called The Traveler. However, after an event known as the Collapse, the human race was nearly completely wiped out, and the remaining humans were forced to retreat to their home planet of Earth, where they made their last stand. The Traveler spawned a race, called Ghosts, that can resurrect fallen individuals they feel have the criteria to become Guardians. The backstory of Destiny's Guardians is that they are elite warriors endowed with powers and the ability to be resurrected by their Ghosts. They are humanity's last hope in fighting back against the evil alien forces set on bringing the extinction of the human race. If Sony isn't aren’t already in discussion about adapting Destiny, they should be; Paramount+'s Halo series has a similar premise but has been met with mixed reviews, creating an opening for Sony.
In 2010, Bungie signed a 10-year publishing deal with Activision and developed the first Destiny game, released in 2014. The game went on to be the most successful launch in history for a new IP. Activision claimed it made over $500 million in sales in just 24 hours, though it should be noted that Activision never actually released the sales numbers. In 2017, they launched Destiny 2, which reportedly makes $100-$500 million annually through micro-transactions as the second-biggest MMORPG of all time (via Pro Game Guides). When Sony bought Bungie, they also purchased the Destiny IP. Considering the wild popularity of the Destiny franchise, if Playstation Pictures is smart, they'll work with Bungie to develop a Destiny series as soon as possible.
Microsoft and Paramount's joint Halo series was released on March 24th on Paramount+. Unfortunately, the series has been met with mixed reviews. Some say Halo has joined the ranks of failed video game adaptations, while others insist the Halo show is similar to the game's canon. However, season 1 is far from over, and the series has already been greenlit for Halo season 2. In a couple of years, Halo and Destiny might become some of the most popular sci-fi content out there. Sony Playstation’s acquisition of Bungie was just as much about future potential entertainment IPs as it was about the video game industry. Playstation is looking long-term and a Destiny series could be its flagship video game adaptation.
New episodes of Halo release Thursdays on Paramount+.
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