Developer Bungie, of Destiny 2 fame, is reportedly eyeing a new IP with a far more lighthearted theme compared to the studio’s previous efforts. A new job listing on the official Bungie website for an Incubation Art Director suggests a comedic, cheerful, and whimsical new IP is on the cards for the Halo developer.
The listing reads, “Are you on a mission to create games that bond players together into deeply invested communities? Would you like to work on something comedic with lighthearted and whimsical characters? Do you think a lot about how art impacts gameplay, how character design can enable fan cosplays, or how character poses and environments speak to different cultures all around the world? As the Incubation Art Director, you will define the look of a new Bungie IP and work on all aspects of art to guide a prototype on the path to production. Most importantly, you will work with a fun, dedicated, and passionate cross-discipline team devoted to making a new franchise at Bungie.”
The listing suggests the new IP is very much in the pre-production phase as Bungie weighs up its options and explores the possible foundations of the upcoming game. What’s clear is that we may be in for quite the departure from what we’ve come to expect from the developer. Neither Destiny 2 nor Halo could ever be described as ‘whimsical’ by any stretch of the imagination. We’re talking gun-toting warriors exploring alien planets, not a ramshackle cast of colorful characters living out their tranquil lives in a picturesque seaside town.
To no one’s surprise, the listing stops short of sharing a name for the project, but it may be the first signs that Bungie is moving ahead with an EU trademark filing for an unannounced game titled ‘Matter’ made back in 2018.
Alongside the Incubation Art Director listing is another for an Incubation Investment Designer, which reads ‘Bungie is seeking a highly technical, creative, and team-oriented Investment Designer who is excited to help us build our next great IP. You are the glue between the sword and the reward. You will work in tandem with our sandbox and economy teams to build and distribute items to our players. Living inside a giant database of hundreds of baubles, weapons, and armor is nothing new to you. And neither is building a system to cleverly distribute those items in a necromancer’s dungeon.’
The description suggests that even though Bungie may be shifting to a bit more levity in its upcoming IP, core gameplay mechanics will borrow heavily from previous titles.