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

Summary

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

A first-party PlayStation game, code-named Gummy Bears, is said to draw significant inspiration from the Super Smash Bros. series. According to a recent report, this mysterious project from PlayStation has also revealed additional intriguing details.

The first rumors about Gummy Bears surfaced online in August 2023, when The Game Post reported that a MOBA game with this codename was being developed by Bungie. A year later, Bungie announced layoffs affecting 220 employees, which was a 17% reduction in its workforce. During these layoffs, Bungie revealed plans to integrate an additional 155 of its staff into Sony Interactive Entertainment.

These integration efforts have now led Sony to establish a new PlayStation studio, as reported by The Game Post, citing unnamed sources. This new studio, reportedly staffed by around 40 employees, has taken over the development of Gummy Bears. Although the game is likely still years away from release, the current development stage remains undisclosed. Despite the limited information available, The Game Post has reported that Gummy Bears will adopt a feature from Super Smash Bros.

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

Specifically, Gummy Bears is said to eschew traditional health bars, using a percentage-based system instead. This system will determine how far a character is knocked back upon being hit. When the damage percentage reaches a high enough level, characters can be knocked off the map, mirroring the damage percent system used in Super Smash Bros.

Gummy Bears will reportedly include three character classes typical of MOBAs: Attack, Defense, and Support. The game will also feature multiple game modes and an aesthetic described as cozy, vibrant, and "lo-fi." These elements represent a departure from Bungie's previous work, a deliberate choice aimed at distinguishing Gummy Bears and appealing to a younger demographic.

Having been in development since at least 2022 during its time at Bungie, the project's transition to a new developer aligns with the recent news of PlayStation establishing a new studio in Los Angeles. It is speculated that this California-based studio is the one working on Gummy Bears.

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