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E3 Predictions: Bungie's Next Game
Earlier this week, a leaked contract agreement between Activision and Bungie gave many fans their first hard facts about the former Halo developer’s next project. Bungie is hard at work on Project Destiny, a likely code name for a new “sci-fantasy, action shooter” series scheduled to be published by Activison in the fall of 2013. The game series mentioned in the contract is also said to be in a “massively multiplayer style,” but it’s unclear if that means Destiny is an actual MMO or whether it simply has some persistent online elements.
The first Destiny game will release on current-generation consoles such as the 360 and PS3, but also next-gen consoles. Wording within the 2010 contract indicates a timed exclusive on Microsoft consoles, with later releases on the current- and next-gen Sony platforms in 2014. It’s worth noting that the contract predates any publicly known details about next-gen consoles, so it’s impossible to know how plans may change as new console announcements are made public.
When will we get to see this mysterious game? While Destiny may eventually come in some form to 360 and PS3, the real showpiece version will be its next-gen iteration. With few details about those new platforms available, and only a slim chance that either Sony or Microsoft will detail their respective systems at this year’s E3, we doubt Bungie will show off Project Destiny gameplay. In addition, it’s hard to believe that Bungie would publicly reveal extensive information about a brand new project right out of the gate; it prefers to tease things a little bit first.
If the studio follows the tradition it established with the Halo franchise, the first steps in revealing the new game might be through a teaser trailer. If you’re crossing your fingers for something about Destiny at E3, this is your best bet. A brief teaser trailer may offer a glimpse of the main character, some hint of the setting (beyond the near certainty that it has to do with outer space), and an actual title for the project beyond the codename Destiny. Such a teaser could pave the way for additional reveals later this year or early next year, potentially through a magazine or online exclusive, another major convention, or a dedicated press event.
Where should you watch for such a trailer? If it doesn’t show up at the Microsoft E3 media briefing, you can probably cross it off your list. If a teaser exists, you can bet there have been extensive conversations about who gets to show it off. The likelihood that the game will be a timed exclusive on Microsoft platforms suggests that the Xbox showcase is the most likely suspect.
Do you think Bungie will show anything about Project Destiny at the big show? Let us know in the comments below.
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