New First-Party PlayStation Game Will Reportedly Be Inspired by Smash Bros

Summary

• Bungie's mysterious game, code-named Gummy Bears, has reportedly changed developers and is now being developed at a new PlayStation studio.
• While primarily a MOBA, the game is rumored to take inspiration from Super Smash Bros. by featuring a percentage-based damage system instead of traditional health bars.
• Gummy Bears has been in development for at least three years but may still be years away from release. It aims to target a younger demographic than any prior Bungie game.

A first-party PlayStation game, code-named Gummy Bears, is said to take notable inspiration from the Super Smash Bros. series. According to a recent report, this mysterious PlayStation project has undergone significant development changes.

The first whispers of Gummy Bears' existence surfaced online in August 2023, when The Game Post reported that a MOBA title with this codename was in development at Bungie. However, a year later, Bungie announced layoffs affecting 220 employees—a 17% reduction in its workforce—and revealed plans to integrate 155 of its staff into Sony Interactive Entertainment.

These integration efforts have now led Sony to establish a new PlayStation studio, according to The Game Post, citing unnamed sources. This new subsidiary, reportedly comprising around 40 employees, has taken over the development of Gummy Bears. Although the game is likely years away from release, its current development stage remains unclear. The Game Post also reports that Gummy Bears will adopt a unique health system inspired by Super Smash Bros.

Gummy Bears Reportedly Won't Have Health Bars, Similar to Smash Bros.

Specifically, Gummy Bears is designed without traditional health bars. Instead, its health system functions as a modifier that determines how far a character is knocked back when hit. As the percentage-based damage accumulates, characters can be knocked off the map, mirroring the damage percent system used in Super Smash Bros.

Gummy Bears will reportedly feature three character classes typical of MOBA games: Attack, Defense, and Support. The game will include multiple game modes and boast an aesthetic described as cozy, vibrant, and "lo-fi." These elements are a departure from Bungie's previous work, a deliberate choice to differentiate Gummy Bears and appeal to a younger demographic.

Having been in development since at least 2022, Gummy Bears' shift to a new developer aligns with the recent establishment of a new PlayStation studio in Los Angeles, assuming this is the same team working on the project.

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