Sony might be expecting an exodus of Bungie staff. After acquiring the Destiny studio, they've announced an employee retention plan costing $1.2 billion. That's to entice Bungie's current team to stay on if they don’t like the partnership.
During an earnings report, Sony confirmed this retention plan is part of the $3.6 billion acquisition purchase. The rest of Sony’s payment – $2.4 billion – will directly go to Bungie’s private shares as part of this agreement.
Sony Reveals $1.2 Billion Employees Retention Plan to Keep Bungie Employees
Under Sony, the ex-Halo devs will retain their operational independence and Bungie are still allowed to self-own, publish, and release games on rival platforms, like PC and Xbox Series X. Sony previously confirmed their main reason for purchasing Bungie was less about console exclusives and more for live-service games.
With plans to release ten live-service games by March 2026, Destiny 2 will play a key role in this new strategy. Destiny 2 is out now on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PC, and Google Stadia as a Free-to-Play title. If you're looking to learn more about Destiny 2's upcoming The Witch Queen expansion and Season 16, you can check out our full coverage here.