Bungie, the game developer best known for creating the blockbuster Halo franchise, launched Aerospace, a program offering financial and technical resources to independent mobile and social game developers. According to Bungie, the program is open to everyone from seasoned developers to college students, offering support tailored to the needs of each team and project. In addition to financial assistance, Aerospace will supply access to the Bungie.net platform and user community, PR and marketing assistance, testing, consumer research and release management support.
Bungie Aerospace's first partner: Seattle-based Harebrained Schemes, whose founder Jordan Weisman teamed with Bungie for I Love Bees, an alternate reality game issued in conjunction with the 2004 release of Halo 2. Harebrained Studios will introduce its first iOS and Android title, Crimson, later this summer. For more information on Bungie Aerospace, click here.
Founded in 1991, Bungie initially targeted the Macintosh platform with the popular Marathon and Myth series. Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) acquired Bungie in 2000, launching the first-person shooter game Halo in tandem with its new Xbox gaming platform--the Halo franchise went on to sell in excess of 40 million copies worldwide, with all Halo-related merchandise raking in more than $2 billion. Bungie split with Microsoft in late 2007, and last year signed a 10-year publishing partnership with Activision.
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