Future 2 recreation director Joe Blackburn, who’s led improvement of the sci-fi shooter since 2020, is leaving Bungie.
In a collection of X posts, Blackburn introduced on January 30 that he’ll embark on “a brand new journey outdoors the partitions of Bungie” subsequent month at the beginning of a significant testing section for upcoming Future 2 growth The Closing Form.
The “end-to-end playtest” has been a Future 2 improvement ritual since 2018’s Forsaken growth, says Blackburn, and entails “a number of days of consecutive inner playtesting.” The Closing Form, which is scheduled to launch on June 4, will get its end-to-end playtest in February, and that is when Blackburn will “cross the torch.”
“This [playtest] shall be particularly significant to me personally, as it can additionally function a second to cross the torch of Future 2 recreation director to the subsequent period of management as I head on a brand new journey outdoors the partitions of Bungie,” wrote Blackburn.
The brand new Future 2 recreation director shall be longtime Bungie designer Tyson Inexperienced.
“In case you’ve adopted Bungie for any size of time, you’ve got heard his identify,” Blackburn mentioned. “From Halo PvP to the creation of Unique weapons in D1, Tyson has been a vital a part of Bungie’s legacy since Fantasy 2.”
The management change comes at a tumultuous time for Bungie. The developer was acquired by Sony in 2022, and like so many different gaming firms, laid off numerous workers late final yr. Amongst these let go had been some long-time workers members, together with composers Michael Salvatori and Michael Sechrist. The Closing Form was additionally delayed.
When it lastly releases this June, The Closing Form will see Nathan Fillion reprise his function as Cayde-6 and produce Future 2’s present narrative arc to an in depth. It is going to additionally mark the start of a brand new episodic construction for Future 2: Slightly than 4 seasons every year, the sport will get “three bigger episodes.”
“We’re engaged on numerous issues proper now that we won’t explicitly share, however that contain altering up the construction so we will pleasantly shock you guys extra continuously sooner or later,” mentioned Future 2 lead narrative designer Jonathan To in a latest roundtable dialogue concerning the new format.
Blackburn first joined Bungie in 2015 as a raid designer, and later led improvement of Future’s Season of Opulence. In 2019, he left Bungie for Riot, however returned in 2020 as Future 2’s recreation director.
“As a deeply invested Guardian earlier than beginning right here at Bungie, attending to be part of the Future 2 group has been the privilege of a lifetime,” Blackburn concluded in his departure announcement. “I’m and can without end stay a lifelong Bungie fan and believer in what the groups inside its partitions are able to.
“I’ve nonetheless received a while earlier than I cross the torch, however as I sit up for taking a giant break from social media, I do know I am going to see yall across the Tower. It’s going to be nice to play Future alongside all of you.”