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Today marks an exciting day in the video game industry, as developer Bungie launches their long-awaited game Destiny.

Developed by the same studio that created the popular Halo franchise, Destiny is a first-person sci-fi shooter that takes place in a persistent online world, where players can team up, compete, and — as the game’s promotional tagline says — “become legend.”

Set approximately 700 years in the future, the storyline centers around of group of powerful fighters known as the “guardians,” defenders of the last-remaining city on planet Earth who must venture out to explore the ruins of interplanetary colonies and fight back against an encroaching alien threat.

Screenshot of platforms suspended in mid-air in front of a huge ball of fire
Destiny is the highly anticipated game from Bellevue, Washington, developer Bungie, creators of the Halo franchise, and publisher Activision. (image © Bungie)

Among the hundreds of talented artists, programmers, and designers who helped turn the game’s ambitious scope and vision into a reality, several are DigiPen graduates, including:

  • Lucy Ainsworth (2010), B.S. in Computer Science in Real-Time Interactive Simulation
  • Victor Anderson (2011), B.F.A. in Digital Art and Animation
  • Sean Chan (2013), B.S. in Computer Science in Real-Time Interactive Simulation
  • Will Edgette (2009), B.S. in Computer Science in Real-Time Interactive Simulation
  • Michael Felice (2006), B.S. in Computer Science in Real-Time Interactive Simulation
  • John Guesnier (2004), A.S. in Real-Time Interactive Simulation
  • Kevin Hart (2010), B.F.A. in Digital Art and Animation
  • Zach Hartlage (2012), B.F.A. in Digital Art and Animation
  • Cale Haskell (2009), B.S. in Computer Science in Real-Time Interactive Simulation
  • Andrew Hopps (2008), B.F.A. in Digital Art and Animation
  • Pat Jandro (2008), B.F.A. in Digital Art and Animation
  • Joshua Jones (2011), B.F.A. in Digital Art and Animation
  • Ryan Juckett (2004), B.S. in Computer Science in Real-Time Interactive Simulation
  • Andy Kibler (2012), B.S. in Computer Science and Game Design
  • Sang Kim (2013), B.A. in Game Design
  • Peter Kugler (2007), B.S. in Computer Science in Real-Time Interactive Simulation
  • Chase Lawhead (2011), B.F.A. in Digital Art and Animation
  • William Patrick (2008), B.F.A. in Digital Art and Animation
  • Drew Shy (2004), A.A. in 3D Computer Animation
  • Sean Shypula (2008), M.S. in Computer Science
  • Forrest Söderlind (2008), B.F.A. in Digital Art and Animation
  • Austin Spafford (2004), B.S. in Computer Science in Real-Time Interactive Simulation
  • Marc Thompson (2013), B.F.A. in Digital Art and Animation
  • Noah Thompson (2014), B.F.A. in Digital Art and Animation
  • Micah Zahm (2011), B.F.A. in Digital Art and Animation

Graduate Lucy Ainsworth, who works at Bungie as a software development engineer in test, says the fan hype that’s surrounded the game has been exciting to see.

“It’s been one of my life goals to work on a AAA title for such a major studio,” Ainsworth says. “It’s been really awesome to watch the development process as well, as this was the first professional project where I was able to see the entire development cycle from beginning to end.”

Congratulations to all of the DigiPen grads who worked on the game! For more information about Destiny, you can check out the official website at www.destinythegame.com.