Joe Blackburn, game director for Destiny 2, is leaving Bungie. He’ll pursue a “new adventure” outside the company, with Tyson Green taking over. The latter has been a part of the company since Myth 2’s release and has worked on several things, from Halo’s PvP to Destiny 1’s Exotic weapons.
Best known for The Witch Queen and Lightfall, Blackburn also served as raid design lead on Destiny 2, having worked on King’s Fall. “As a deeply invested Guardian before starting here at Bungie, getting to be a part of the Destiny 2 team has been the privilege of a lifetime. I am and will forever remain a lifelong Bungie fan and believer in what the teams within its walls are capable of.”
Blackburn isn’t leaving immediately but will take a “big break from social media” when he does. Regarding The Final Shape, he revealed that it will be hitting “one of its most critical internal milestones: a ritual we call the End-to-End playtest.” It involves internal playtests that go on for days and serves as a shift towards bug fixes and more polish.
Destiny 2: The Final Shape launches on June 4th for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC. It’s the conclusion to the Light and Darkness Saga, as players venture into the Traveler to defeat The Witness. More details are coming in April, so stay tuned.