Activision/Bungie contract revealed with game details

[solidsnakejej]

I think this deserves it's own thread, it describes a 4 game deal for a MMO sci-fantasy, action shooter that will be initially exclusive to the Xbox platform. Probably Microsoft's Xbox exclusive announcement for E3

Unsealed for the Acti v Call of Duty dev case.

Details of video game publisherActivision Blizzard Inc.'s high-profile deal in 2010 with Bungie Inc. to make an original game series has been made public for the first time as part of a separate lawsuit involving the Call of Duty game franchise.

The deal with Bungie, considered one of the hottest studios in the industry, at the time helped Activision save face in the midst of an ugly legal fight with former Call of Duty developers Jason West and Vincent Zampella, whom Activision had fired a month earlier in March 2010. But at what cost?

Activision's contract with Bungie, recently unsealed as part of Activision's lawsuit against West and Zampella, outlines exactly what those costs are.

The 27-page agreement calls for Bungie to develop four "sci-fantasy, action shooter games," code-named "Destiny," released every other year, beginning in the fall of 2013. Bungie also agreed to put out four downloadable expansion packs code-named "Comet," every other year beginning in the fall of 2014. Activision has never disclosed release plans for Bungie's titles.

The first Destiny game will initially only be available on Microsoft's Xbox 360 consoles, as well as its potential successor, which the contract refers to as the "Xbox 720." Later games would be made for Xbox consoles as well as Sony Corp.'s expected successor to the PlayStation 3, and on personal computers.

Bungie would be entitled to royalties ranging from 20% to 35% of "operating income," the amount left over after Activision deducts its costs, including development, production and marketing expenses.

Under the contract, which may have been amended since it went into effect on April 16, 2010, Activision would also pay Bungie $2.5 million a year in bonuses between 2010 and 2013 if the Bellevue, Wash., studio meets certain quality and budget milestones. Bungie gets another $2.5 million if the first Destiny game achieves a score of 90 or better out of 100 on GameRankings.com, a site that summarizes reviews by game critics.

The contract also reveals for the first time that Bungie is working on a potential successor to its Marathon game, which became a cult hit after it was published in 1994 for the Apple Mac. The document refers to Bungie's right to devote no more than 5% of its staff to develop an action-shooter prototype dubbed Marathon while Bungie remains under contract with Activision.

Source:http://www.latimes.com/entertainment...,3463781.story

Full contract:http://documents.latimes.com/bungie-...sion-contract/

[AC!D]

Whats the point of creating a new series but not putting the first game on a PS console? Why even bother then?

[solidsnakejej]

Money hats, We all know Activision is in bed with Microsoft, it's no real surprise.

[venomv]

It could come out on PS3, in the contract:

2.1 b: The parties also also currently contemplate the development and commercial release of Destiny Game #1 for the Playstion 3 computer entertainment system in the fall of 2014

But then later it says they will have made a decision on the PS3 by now, so I guess it would depend on if whomever wrote the article has more info then just the contract. Or if there was an amendment to the contract in there somewhere that clarifies that I didn't see, which could easily be the case since I didn't read any past that paragraph.

[Luis]

It may just come out later. Anyway, too long of a wait to care right now.

[venomv]

It may just come out later. Anyway, too long of a wait to care right now.

And not much to care about, all we have is a contract. Maybe we will learn more at E3.

[Segitz]

By late 2014, nobody will care anymore... unless it's a God of War 2. And even that didn't come out way into the lifecycle of PS3, but very early on (i.e. at EU launch). Not that it won't sell, mind you^^

(I am assuming that PS420 will release next year at the latest)

[masteratt]

I am more interested in what Respawn guys are up to. And man look at all the BS going on behind the scenes. Guys just want to develop a game there is a freakin' rulebook.

I am a bit surprised Bungie stuck to sci-fi shooter, thought they left Halo to widen their horizon. I guess I took it for too much, as I was even expecting a different genre.

[Luis]

I would expect them to make a shooter first to pay the bills and fund their following games. They'll take greater risks the next time round.

[AC!D]

I just dont understand why they would alienate the one Demographic that embraces new IP's and ideas from the get go especially when they are such good buddies with Naughty who can help on the PS3 technical side.

[solidsnakejej]

Full contract broken down, some interesting stuff.
http://www.develop-online.net/featur...ctivision-deal