Bungie’s latest patent hints at exciting new gameplay mechanics for MOBA games, possibly for Gummy Bears, a competitive PvP MOBA project, now under a new PlayStation studio after Bungie’s recent layoffs.
Last year, The Game Post reported that Bungie is working on a brand-new IP, code-named “Gummy Bears.” This PvP competitive title blends elements from various genres but remains fundamentally a MOBA, featuring core mechanics like tower defense, lanes, and strategic objectives.
Following the second round of layoffs at Bungie earlier this year, the company announced that it is with Sony PlayStation to “spin out” one of its incubation projects—Gummy Bears—”to form a new studio within PlayStation Studios to continue its promising development.”
Now, a new Bungie patent titled “Controlling Game Behavior of Defensive Objective Characters in a Virtual Environment,” was published on September 12, 2024, which focuses on MOBA and Tower Defense games, and introduces innovative gameplay mechanics.
It details features like dynamic tower movement, where towers can change positions based on in-game situations, jump, dodge player attacks, and use “special ability” when charged.
New Bungie Patent For MOBA Games
Traditionally, towers in MOBAs are stationary structures that defend specific lanes. Bungie’s new patent shakes things up by adding “behavior trees” to these defensive AI units to move around and perform a series of complex tasks. This could introduce a whole new layer of strategy and unpredictability to matches.
“A method is provided for controlling game behavior of defensive objective characters in a virtual environment,” the patent reads. “The method includes providing a decision tree including a prioritized set of tasks for a defensive objective character to perform in the virtual environment, each task of the prioritized set of tasks having at least one condition for performing the task.
“The method further includes iteratively modifying the game behavior of the defensive objective character in the virtual environment by processing at least a subset of tasks of the prioritized set of tasks in order of highest priority to lowest priority.”
The patent mentions that these dynamic towers could have “special abilities” to influence the battlefield. This could mean that the defensive unit “can become ‘enraged’ if it has taken too much recent damage, and its special ability is a ‘stomp’ that will ‘stun’ nearby enemies.”
One condition states that the Tower or Defensive Unit has a charge meter for a “special ability”. “For example, an avatar can become ‘enraged’ if it has taken too much recent damage, and its special ability is a ‘stomp’ that will ‘stun’ nearby enemies. If the special ability is charged, the associated task at is performed, i.e., use the special ability.”
If this patent is indeed tied to Gummy Bears, it suggests the developers are aiming for a more dynamic, responsive competitive experience compared to traditional MOBAs. With towers that move and adapt, each match could offer a fresh challenge, forcing teams to rethink their approach in real time.
This mechanic could also pave the way for unique interactions for player characters or heroes. For instance, certain characters might have abilities that manipulate tower movement or temporarily disable their special abilities.
The possibilities are endless, and it’s clear that Bungie, now a new PlayStation studio, isn’t just mimicking traditional MOBA gameplay—it is pushing the envelope, much like the developer did with Destiny.
Zuhaad is a reporter for The Game Post. You can reach him anonymously and securely at [email protected].
