Two years after breaking from massive video game publisher Activision, newly independent studio Bungie is looking to make expansions. 

Bungie, the creator of the Halo franchise and current developer of Destiny 2, announced on February 18 that it would be growing operations. This expansion will allow Bungie’s studio to grow in size from 80,000 square feet to a whopping 200,000 square feet. As part of this announcement, Bungie also made it clear that they are planning to bring the Destiny universe to forms of media other than video games.

To that end, the company has welcomed Pamela Kaufman, president of global consumer products for ViacomCBS to its board of directors. Additionally, Luke Smith (current director of Destiny 2) and Mark Noseworthy (VP of the Destiny Universe), are being shifted into leadership roles to guide the entirety of the expanded Destiny universe moving forward. With this, Bungie will most likely be the latest company to venture into the trend of the cinematic universe, following in the footsteps of Marvel, DC, Star Wars and “The Conjuring.” Bungie will also open an international office in Amsterdam focused on publishing and marketing, and they plan to release an entirely new game before 2025.

As a Destiny fan, I am excited to hear this news, but I imagine that many fans of the Halo franchise will be happy to hear of it as well. Many people in our generation grew up with the original Halo games developed by Bungie, and I know many were disappointed by Destiny’s break from the formula established in them.

This expansion, as well as the announcement that Bungie is actively working on new concepts to bring to market is a sign that Bungie is looking to make a splash in the gaming industry. Bungie has been under the corporate oversight of Microsoft and then Activision for decades. Now that the company is independent, many expect developers at Bungie to be free to realize their own visions for the game without deadlines and corporate agents breathing down their necks.

As I grew up with Bungie’s creations, as I am sure so many college students did, I cannot help but see a parallel between myself and Bungie. Just as I am breaking free of oversight at home, and forging my own independent path, Bungie is doing the same only on a much larger scale. While it may be a bit of a stretch, this news definitely strikes a chord with me, and I cannot wait to see what Bungie has in store for the future.