Bungie remains hard at work on the continued development of Destiny 2, which includes seasonal content as well as major expansions like the upcoming release of The Witch Queen. However, it’s also known that Bungie is working on another game, a new IP tentatively targeted for release in 2025. Fans of Bungie’s work have been piecing together details about this new project and today they have a new addition to the puzzle. An ex-Guild Wars 2 developer has confirmed that they’re now working on an unannounced Bungie project.
The developer’s name is Tom Abernathy, and they worked on Guild Wars 2 between 2017 and December 2021, joining Bungie with the new year. Abernathy confirmed on Twitter that he had joined Bungie as a senior narrative lead. Abernathy also confirms that he’s working on an “unannounced project,” notable in that it explicitly means he’s not working on Destiny 2. Of course, it also doesn’t mean he’s working on Bungie’s big 2025 new IP.
What can be assumed, however, is that Tom Abernathy is being brought on for his unique experience. When Abernathy joined ArenaNet in 2017 as a Studio Narrative Director, Guild Wars 2 was already five years old. That means Abernathy’s experience is rooted in post-launch storytelling through DLC content, of which Guild Wars 2 had a significant amount. Free DLC chapter releases, premium content, and major expansions are all a part of Abernathy’s vehicles for delivering narrative.
Further confirmation of this comes in some of the Bungie employees Abernathy tagged on Twitter, individuals he’s excited to work with. One name he mentioned is Julia Nardin, another senior narrative lead working on seasonal content for Destiny 2. These two working together perhaps implies Abernathy is working to understand Bungie’s pipeline for post-launch content storytelling.
There’s only so far that speculation can go, however. All that’s clear is that Abernathy, a veteran narrative director that’s worked on a major MMO is now working at Bungie on an unannounced project. What the project is and what he’s working on specifically remain unknown.
As for when Bungie fans can expect more information, it’s likely to be years before the game is announced — assuming it’s the 2025 new IP. Bungie’s giving this game all the development time it needs. Plus, it doesn’t want to take focus away from Destiny 2, which will remain its priority up until the new game is ready. This may be the last hint at what Abernathy is up to at Bungie for some time.
