Destiny 2 Game Director Joe Blackburn Is Leaving Bungie For ‘A New Adventure’
Destiny 2 game director Joe Blackburn is leaving Bungie to embark on “a new adventure” after 10 years with the studio and four years as the MMO shooter’s director.
“As a deeply invested Guardian before starting here at Bungie, getting to be a part of the Destiny 2 team has been the privilege of a lifetime,” he tweeted. “I am and will forever remain a lifelong Bungie fan and believer in what the teams within its walls are capable of.”
Tyson Green, another long-time Bungie employee, has been named as Blackburn’s successor and he has some pretty big shoes to fill. Not that he lacks the expertise to do so. Green ed the studio back in 1998 and has worked on several big projects including Myth 2, Halo 3, and, according to Blackburn, is a “critical part of Bungie’s legacy.”
“From leading multiplayer and Forge efforts in Halo 3, to most recently ing the development of Fireteam Finder (among many other efforts), Tyson’s creativity and expertise have been a critical part of Bungie’s success and legacy,” wrote the Destiny 2 community team in their latest weekly newsletter.
Here’s Green’s official statement:
“My time working with Bungie started with Myth II back in 1998 and has carried through almost every product we’ve released since. I’ve been pleased to be a part of Destiny from essentially the beginning, from early days introducing loot to our shooter culture, to more recent days guiding the brilliant teams responsible for the breadth of Destiny’s core systems: reward, combat, activity, social, and commerce systems.
Joe has always brought a lot of energy and creative vigor to the team, and it has been a pleasure to work on Destiny with him as a teammate and a friend. I expect we’re going to miss him terribly. To step into his role is humbling, but also energizing, and I look forward to carrying on his work in service to our players and our team.
My ion as a developer has always been to build the s around which a community can grow. I came to Bungie from the fan community and aspire to build things that players can share as common interests. From Halo 3’s Forge and File Share systems to Destiny’s Buildcrafting and Fireteam Finder, I am proudest of the things that bring our community together in collaboration. I look forward to more such opportunities in The Final Shape and the years of Destiny beyond.”
The newsletter further shares some notable statistics from the ongoing Fireteam Finder beta and recent updates to the feature. The team also offered a rundown of recently made adjustments to various in-game activities and shines the spotlight on the Destiny 2 x Mass Effect crossover event later this month.
the Normandy crew.
Inspired by Commander Shepard, Garrus Vakarian, Liara T'Soni, and more from the Systems Alliance, arriving via mass relay in Destiny 2 on Feb. 13. pic.twitter.com/h47SeZ7T46
— Destiny 2 (@DestinyTheGame) January 30, 2024
