Future 2 sport 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 exterior the partitions of Bungie” subsequent month in the beginning of a significant testing part for upcoming Future 2 enlargement The Last Form.
The “end-to-end playtest” has been a Future 2 improvement ritual since 2018’s Forsaken enlargement, says Blackburn, and includes “a number of days of consecutive inner playtesting.” The Last Form, which is scheduled to launch on June 4, will get its end-to-end playtest in February, and that is when Blackburn will “go the torch.”
“This [playtest] will likely be particularly significant to me personally, as it’ll additionally function a second to go the torch of Future 2 sport director to the subsequent period of management as I head on a brand new journey exterior the partitions of Bungie,” wrote Blackburn.
The brand new Future 2 sport director will likely be longtime Bungie designer Tyson Inexperienced.
“Should you’ve adopted Bungie for any size of time, you’ve got heard his title,” 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 Delusion 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 corporations, laid off quite a few staff late final 12 months. Amongst these let go have been some long-time employees members, together with composers Michael Salvatori and Michael Sechrist. The Last Form was additionally delayed.
When it lastly releases this June, The Last Form will see Nathan Fillion reprise his position as Cayde-6 and produce Future 2’s present narrative arc to a detailed. It is going to additionally mark the start of a brand new episodic construction for Future 2: Somewhat than 4 seasons every year, the sport will get “three bigger episodes.”
“We’re engaged on quite a few issues proper now that we won’t explicitly share, however that contain altering up the construction so we are able to pleasantly shock you guys extra steadily sooner or later,” mentioned Future 2 lead narrative designer Jonathan To in a current 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 sport 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 endlessly stay a lifelong Bungie fan and believer in what the groups inside its partitions are able to.
“I’ve nonetheless obtained a while earlier than I go the torch, however as I stay up for taking a giant break from social media, I do know I will see yall across the Tower. It’s going to be nice to play Future alongside all of you.”