Less than two weeks after Microsoft announced it was purchasing Activision Blizzard, Sony has announced a deal to purchase Bungie.

Bungie rose to fame as the original makers of Halo. Microsoft quickly swooped in, purchasing the company in 2001. Just a few years later, in 2007, Bungie was spun off as a privately held company. Since becoming independent again, Bungie has continued releasing games, most notably the Destiny franchise.

Bungie will once again be purchased by a larger company, this time Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE). The two companies announced the deal, worth some $3.6 billion, on Monday, January 31.

“In SIE, we have found a partner who unconditionally supports us in all we are and who wants to accelerate our vision to create generation-spanning entertainment, all while preserving the creative independence that beats in Bungie’s heart,” reads Bungie’s blog post. “Like us, SIE believes that game worlds are only the beginning of what our IPs can become. Together, we share a dream of creating and fostering iconic franchises that unite friends around the world, families across generations, and fans across multiple platforms and entertainment mediums.​“

Bungie says it will continue to have the same creative freedom it has enjoyed for years.

“We remain in charge of our destiny,” the blog continues. “We will continue to independently publish and creatively develop our games. We will continue to drive one, unified Bungie community. Our games will continue to be where our community is, wherever they choose to play.​“

As the video game market heats up, larger companies are snapping up smaller ones that fit in with their plans. The metaverse — the intersection of physical, augmented, and virtual reality — is speeding up this consolidation, with companies seeing game makers as a way to game a foothold.

It should be interesting to see what Bungie will be able to develop with Sony’s deep pockets backing the company.