Future 2 director Joe Blackburn is stepping down following the discharge of The Remaining Form, the upcoming enlargement slated to launch in June. Blackburn, who amongst different issues has served as Future’s Lead Raid Designer, says the time has come to “move the torch” as he heads “on a brand new journey exterior the partitions of Bungie.”
As we hit Finish-to-Finish subsequent month, Tyson Inexperienced will take the reins as D2 Sport Director. In case you’ve adopted Bungie for any size of time, you have heard his identify. From Halo PvP to the creation of Unique weapons in D1, Tyson has been a essential a part of Bungie’s legacy since Fable II.
— Joe Blackburn (@joegoroth) January 31, 2024
“As a deeply invested Guardian earlier than beginning right here at Bungie, attending to be part of the Future 2 workforce has been the privilege of a lifetime,” Blackburn mentioned. “I’m and can endlessly stay a lifelong Bungie fan and believer in what the groups inside its partitions are able to.”
Blackburn will probably be changed by Tyson Inexperienced, a Halo player-versus-player veteran who helped create Unique weapons within the authentic Future and has been a “essential a part of Bungie’s legacy since Fable II.”
Blackburn’s departure comes at a troublesome second for each Bungie and Future. Again in October, Bungie was hit exhausting by a significant spherical of layoffs, resulting in an environment that workers described as “soul crushing.” Future 2 has equally struggled with a declining playerbase and numerous neighborhood controversies. The Remaining Form, which was presupposed to launch on February 27, was delayed to the summer season.
Regardless of all that, Blackburn appeared to get pleasure from a typically optimistic popularity amongst followers. He has been recreation director since at the least 2021, having taken on the position after returning to Bungie following a quick stint with Riot Video games. The announcement of his departure was greeted with heartfelt goodbyes on platforms like Twitter as followers thanked him for his exhausting work on the collection.
Blackburn, in the meantime, did not reveal his subsequent vacation spot, however did say that he plans to take a “large break” from social media. “I’ve nonetheless bought a while earlier than I move the torch, however as I sit up for taking a giant break from social media, I do know I am going to see yall across the Tower. It’s going to be nice to play Future alongside all of you.”
As for The Remaining Form, it will be out June 4.
Kat Bailey is IGN’s Information Director in addition to co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Ship her a DM at @the_katbot.