Over 30 years ago,Bungiewas founded and began creating games that were designed to get the most out of players, and vice versa. Hidden clues to deep lore encouraged fans to learn everything that they could, and this tradition has stuck withBungietitles as each of the studio’s games often evolve into Easter egg hunts full of community-driven lore keeping. TheHaloandDestinyfranchises are particularly popular for this, with both building up incredible playerbases full of dedicated fans.
While Bungie let go ofHalowhen the studio became independent from Microsoft and Xbox, the franchise is still a testament to what Bungie is. Many gamers have fond memories of the amazing environmentsin the Halo rings, andHalo 3is largely regarded as one of the best games of all time. Similarly,Destinyhas grown into a shining example of everything that the studio learned when it comes to community building. Guardians scour locations to discover information and help each other through difficult activities. These two games, more than any others, are what players think of when they think of Bungie, and they’ve helped to make December a great time to celebrate Bungie’s 30-year history.
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Bungie’s Halo Games
While Bungie is no longer developingHalo, the franchise that 343 Industries has built on continues to be one of the most popular. Xbox celebrated its 20th anniversary last month, andHalo: Combat Evolved,Halo 2, andHalo 3all played significant roles in making the Xbox and Xbox 360 systems popular. They told incredible stories through a protagonist that continues to be larger than life, as fans continue to enjoy the green Spartan’s adventures. The Master Chief’s story and the universe thatHalotakes place in inspired many people, which in turn has led to fan-made media likeRooster Teeth’sRed vs. Blueseriesand a slew of official novels and films published.
Still, the games continue to be the main attraction to manyHalofans, and what Bungie originally developed has only continued to grow since it parted ways with the franchise.Halo Infinite’s multiplayer took November by storm, and its surprise release and free-to-play format created a strong foundation for the game’s future. Now,theHalo Infinitecampaignhas been released in the same week as the Bungie 30th Anniversary Pack forDestiny 2. While the timing for the release of games and DLC is hard to line up, these two being so close together is symbolic in a way.
The franchise that helped to introduce Bungie and its other projects to so many people continues to live on and evolve for the world to see. The open world ofHalo Infiniteis a new direction for the series that could prove to be its best innovation yet. At the same time, it’s being released into the world just as Bungie celebrates its anniversary inside its currently supported title, helping to addHaloweapons inDestiny 2.
Halois the legacy that Bungie has had to leave behind, and while they’re still connected in many people’s minds it’s clear how much it has grown from the seeds that Bungie planted and cultivated. The ideas thatHalostarted with have been developed into a story of a galaxy that is far more connected than fans might have imagined a decade ago, alongside lore that has grown deeper with every installment. Even so, classic features likeSkulls inHalo Infinitecontinue to connect the franchise to its roots, as a reminder to veteran players of the amazing journey that Bungie took players on across a decade of games.
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Moving Forward With Destiny
WithHalonow in the rear-view mirror for Bungie, many fans have been introduced to a story that has become incredible in its own unique way. TheDestinyfranchise has taken the question “What would happen to humanity amidst the stars?” and introduced a fantastic element to it. WhileHalo’s conflicts are often laced with supernatural ideologies and religions even as its villains are explained away with technology,Destinyaccepts both realities. Practical tech has been married to paracausal entities, finding a middle ground between space magic and the technological advancements ofevery exotic weapon inDestiny 2.
This helpsDestinyfeel likeHalothrough a fantasy lens, and is an aspect that the game is often leaning into. While there are a myriad of possible titles that Bungie might have brought into the world followingHalo, the evolution of what eventually becameDestinycreated one of the best concepts possible. Its continuation of everything that Bungie built around its communities inHalois the perfect way to show the overall dedication that both developers and fans have for each of the franchises.Destinyhas helped to further the connection that players have to one another and became an incredible experience that will only continue inThe Witch Queenexpansion.
The Bungie 30th Anniversary event touches on this beyond itsHalo-inspired pieces of gear, likethe Forerunner exotic sidearm. It’s not only a celebration of the community and the loot that players love to collect, but also a nostalgic look at the enemies and stories thatDestiny 2players have come to know. It’s been able to tie both the past and present into singular moments and build on previous activities and concepts.
The crowning achievement of this for many is the reintroduction ofthe exotic rocket launcher, Gjallarhorn. While everything brought intoDestiny 2with the Bungie 30th Anniversary event and DLC is of note, Gjallarhorn might be as symbolic for theDestinyfranchise as Master Chief is forHalo. As a Guardian, players are pivotal, yet somewhat nameless, in the universe ofDestiny. While each Guardian is an expression of the player, it’s hard for a singular one to represent the whole franchise. Gjallarhorn filled this role for many in the firstDestinygame.
Much like Master Chief inHalo, Gjallarhorn was the unstoppable force breaking through immovable objects.Gjallarhorn’s reintroduction to theDestinyfranchiseat the same time thatHalo Infinitereleases is a deafening howl to players. Both are iconic parts of Bungie’s history that fans can immediately identify. As they step into the spotlight once again this month, they’ve framed December as the perfect time to celebrate the art that Bungie has released into the world.
