STACK #155 Sep 2017

CONTENTS

Contributors

Founder Nic Short Editor-in-Chief Paul Jones Film & DVD Editor Scott Hocking

Music Editor Zoë Radas StaffWriter Alesha Kolbe

Issue 155 SEPTEMBER 2017

Creative Director Michelle Black DVD Consultant Kerrie Taylor Games Consultant Andre Eivik Music Consultant Mike Glynn Marketing Manager Fleur Parker Chief Contributors Bob Jones , Gill Pringle, Jonathan Alley

WELCOME You’re sat on one of the most iconic video game franchises in history. It’s a proven best-seller, helped shift sales of a brand new console format, is coveted by fans all over the globe, and has inspired spin-off games, comics, books, and real-time TV shows. Most studios would be quite content to evolve that property knowing it was keeping a roof over head and food on the table. Not Bungie. After ten years of living with the Halo universe, the franchise progenitor opted to bestow custody of its creation to another developer and turn its attention to a new challenge. In 2012, Bungie signed a ten-year deal with Activision to bring a new expansive shooter to the table. Eventually unveiled as Destiny , the game released two years later. It was a bold move: Destiny charted new waters, not only for Bungie, but for console gaming as a whole. The first-person shooter broke genre conventions by being an online- only experience that offered players true versatility. Consistent delivery of quality DLC has kept users engaged in the game, and established a successful – and indeed highly profitable – business model for Activision. In a world where we are all infinitely time poor, gamers are now aligning with specific titles that are being actively supported long after the initial release date; just look at GTA V. This month, Bungie and Activision will roll out part two of their ten-year plan with Destiny 2, and the journey for both old and new will begin in earnest. This is one of the most anticipated games releases on the 2017 calendar, so bosses all around the country should brace for a slew of employee sick days on September 6, and beyond. Paul Jones, Editor-in-Chief

Contributors Savannah Douglas, Graham Reid, Amy Flower, John Ferguson, Michael Dwyer, Jeff Jenkins, Simon Lukic, Chris Murray, Billy Pinnell, Denise Hylands, Simon Winkler, Adam Colby, Tim Lambert, Jake Cleland, Holly Pereira Social Media Manager Sally Carlier-Hull Production Manager Craig Patterson Accounts Coordinator Tracy Kingman

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