"New PlayStation Game Inspired by Smash Bros Coming Soon"

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., featuring a percentage-based damage system instead of traditional health bars.
• Gummy Bears has been in development for at least three years but could 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 significant inspiration from the Super Smash Bros. series. According to a newly emerged report, this mysterious PlayStation project has undergone some notable 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. A year later, Bungie announced it was laying off 220 employees—a 17% reduction in its workforce. During this announcement, the Destiny developer also revealed that an additional 155 of its staffers would be integrated into Sony Interactive Entertainment in the near future.

These integration efforts have now resulted in Sony establishing a new PlayStation studio, according to The Game Post, which cites unnamed sources familiar with the matter. The new subsidiary, reportedly comprising around 40 employees, has taken over the development of Gummy Bears. Although the upcoming first-party PlayStation game is likely years away from release, its current stage of development remains unclear. Despite the limited details available, The Game Post reports that the MOBA will adopt a unique approach similar to Super Smash Bros.

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

Specifically, Gummy Bears is said to feature a health system that functions as a modifier, determining how far a character is knocked back when hit. When the percentage-based damage reaches a high enough level, characters can be knocked off the map, a mechanic strikingly similar to the damage percent system used in Super Smash Bros.

Gummy Bears will reportedly include three character classes typical of MOBA games: Attack, Defense, and Support. The game will also offer multiple game modes and boast an aesthetic described as cozy, vibrant, and "lo-fi." These elements represent a departure from Bungie's previous work, which, according to The Game Post's sources, is a deliberate design choice aimed at differentiating Gummy Bears from the studio's other offerings and appealing to a younger demographic.

Counting its time in incubation at Bungie, Gummy Bears has reportedly been in development since at least 2022. This recent claim of a developer switch aligns with the revelation that PlayStation has established a new studio in Los Angeles, which might be the same division currently working on Gummy Bears.