Bungie project â??closeâ?? to striking publisher deal

Independent developer Bungie is closing in on a publishing deal for its unannounced project; a game that marks the studio’s first major step away from the Halo universe.

Bungie’s multiplayer designer Lars Bakken told Eurogamer that the group “will know sometime soon” which company has secured a publishing deal with the acclaimed developer.

“I think those talks are, I guess, close,” he said.

News of the studio’s non-Halo project first emerged back in October last year, and – with Bungie’s reputation for delivering acclaimed blockbusters – the group will have no shortage of interested publishers and, indeed, interested platform holders.

Bungie is still working on Xbox 360-exclusive titles Halo: ODST and Halo Reach, but there has been no confirmation that the studio’s own IP will remain tied to Microsoft’s console.

The studio became independent from Microsoft back in 2007, and the group’s two upcoming Halo games are likely to be its last for the 360.