If you’ve been itching to hear what Halo creator Bungie is doing for its next game, now is the time to pay attention. Just about all the details you could want from the usually super-secretive company have leaked and then been confirmed by the company itself. Note that what follows is an advertising agency’s view of the project, so it doesn’t come from Bungie itself, but for them to have confirmed it, we have to assume it is more than a little accurate.
The game is called Destiny, and similar to Halo (yes, there will be plenty of comparisons for obvious reasons), the game takes place approximately 700 years in the future, right around 2712 or so (Halo began in 2552).
According to the document leaked to IGN:
Our story begins seven hundred years from now in the Last City on Earth, in a Solar System littered with the ruins of man’s Golden Age. A massive, mysterious alien ship hangs overhead like a second Moon. No one knows where it came from or what it’s here for, but only that it’s our protector. Meanwhile, strange, alien monsters creep in from the edge of the universe, determined to take Earth and the Last City. We are young ‘knights’ tasked with defending the remains of humanity, discovering the source of these monsters and – eventually – overcoming it.
There are a lot of themes here similar to Master Chief’s games here, including the alien race, destruction of the galaxy, and a whole whack of unknown objects. Either way, they seem to be crafted in a different way, so we’ll see how the story plays out (pun intended) and the judge from there.
The document also describes that the universe that Bungie is trying to create is going to be less-mature than Halo so that it appeals to a wider audience. The game is also said to be very social in nature, although what type of game it will be is unclear. They also want to create a world “as deep, tangible, and relatable as that of the Star Wars franchise.” That one is going to be a bit harder to pull off, we think, given that the now Disney-owner franchise has been expanding since the 1970s with books, games, comics, and of course, movies. It’s worth noting that Halo hasn’t even reached one tenth the size of the Star Wars universe, and Bungie is now starting from scratch. Either way, we wish them luck.
In an odd twist for the usually secretive developer, Bungie thought it would be nice to treat fans to concept art from the game in light of the leak itself. They’re “not quite ready to take the wraps off our next universe” just yet, but have decided to give us a little peak at what we can expect.
The concept art, as you can see, is very much militaristic, staying with cool tones in the greys and blues, although there are two shots in particular with lush greens and warmer reds and oranges that provide a hint of some variety.
It seems as if the game is also less based on future technology, though it is clearly advanced. Some art shows off MJOLNIR-like suits of armour and futuristic weapons, but we never know how the game will turn out until we get a closer, more official look.
Bungie’s Destiny project is actually a part of a much longer series they signed on to with Activision. Instalments in the series are said to be released in 2013, 2015, 2017, and 2019, with downloadable expansions to be released each year between the main titles. The document revealed to IGN also suggests that the games will be released on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC, as well as next-generation Xbox and PlayStation consoles. The last bit is probably the most interesting, as the game is said to be coming out on the current-gen platforms as well as next-gen platforms, which could hint at a Fall 2013 release for the new consoles.
We’ll also have to wait and see who’s press conference gets the goodies from Bungie at this year’s E3, assuming Bungie elects to show off the game at the show. If they do (and assuming they reveal details at a press conference), will Microsoft welcome them with open arms as friends, or will Sony cajole them into switching sides now that they’re free agents?
