This Week at Bungie - 11/23/2016 1h - DeeJ

This week at Bungie we're celebrating Thanksgiving.

Unlike our sprawling community, the special occasion that makes this week a bit shorter for us is not a global one. This ritual of feasting and communal gratitude is a national tradition. Tomorrow, our studio will be dark and quiet. We'll be scattered to various tables with family and friends. It's a time to take stock of why we're grateful. It's a time to give thanks. We might even carve a turkey with a flaming axe!

"What are you thankful for Bungie?"

So glad you asked! It's a big question. To deliver an appropriate answer, I'll get by with a little help from my friends. Here are just a few of them...

"I am thankful for the Dregs with their killer Mohawks!"
David Bocek, Designer

"I am thankful for a Fireteam that revives me, even when I die from dodge rolling off the level."
Kareem Shuman, Audio Tester

"I am thankful for being able to create experiences that bring people together."
Raylene Deck, Senior Designer

"I am thankful for the ability to make a difference."
Sean Morris, Associate System Administrator

"I am thankful for the artists and cosplayers who spend countless hours expressing their passion for the Destiny universe."
Taylor Bennett, Investment Tester
 
"I am thankful to work at a studio so committed to charity."
Jacob Miner, Engineer

"I am thankful that dancing guardians gotta dance!"
Steve Dolan, Senior Designer

"I am thankful for the opportunity to work on a game that I absolutely love playing."
Ralph D'Souza, Graphics Automation Tester

"I am very thankful that the community, who has been with us through the last two years, for helping us understand what Destiny is, and inspiring us to discover what it can and should be."
Jonty Barnes, The Gov'na

"I am thankful that the Cryptarch decrypted my blue engram into a Monte Carlo."
Eric Carter, Senior Technical Designer

"I am thankful for the passion and enthusiasm of our fans. Whether they love something or hate something, their passion and engagement give us a reason to continually try to be better."
Christine Thompson, Senior Writer

"I am thankful my wife lets me commandeer the TV at night to play video games after I've spent all day at work making video games."
Brent Low, Producer

"I am thankful for all the Destiny players that have organized and/or donated to charity streams. You are making the world better. Keep it up."
Jon Weisnewski, Senior Designer

"I am thankful for a diverse, brilliant community that can accomplish crazy things like massive data collection, cryptography decoding, binary translation, and solving math puzzles when it works together."
Michael Williams, Senior Engineer

"I am thankful for the opportunity to be creative every day for an appreciative audience."
Evan Buehler, Senior Audio Engineer

"I am thankful for all the guardians I have met in person who appreciate how much we love making things so they can have fun!"
Matthew Johnson, Designer

"I am thankful for Bungie's diligent Test team, forever vigilant in defense of the game."
Leif Johansen, Senior Designer

"I am thankful for a community that cares passionately about giving to others in times of need."
Christine Edwards, Senior Foundation Manager

"I am thankful that the Traveler shares its light equally with all Guardians."
Matt McConnell, Warlock Advocate

"I am thankful for the face-palm emote."
Joe Sifferman, Senior Designer

"I am thankful that our community has banded together as a force for good in our physical world, as well as our virtual one."
Peter Sarrett, Senior Technical Designer

"I am thankful for every player that reports to the #help forum with their issues, or to assist others in finding solutions."
Dylan Gafner, Player Support

"I am thankful to work on something that folks from such a wide range of walks of life can jump in and enjoy without fear of a barrier to entry or rejection."
Joey Carpenter, Test Engineer

"I am thankful for a community of Guardians that cares enough to help each other overcome challenges, learn new things, and make new friends."
Vincent Van Pelt - Reeves, Associate Designer

"I am thankful for dank destiny memes."
Joseph Mortensen, Associate Engineer

"I am thankful to work on a project that so many guardians are passionate about playing."
Zach Bogatz, Raids Tester

"I am thankful that Destiny connects my family and friends no matter the distance between each one of us."
Lorraine McLees, Art Lead

"I am thankful to be surrounded every day by people smarter than me."
Justin Truman, Optimist

"I am thankful for the opportunities I've had to give back to our community and provide a little extra Light in the lives of those who need it most."
Jonathan Dobbs, Playtest Team Lead

"I am thankful for the break to stop and stretch my legs. For the road is long."
Luke Smith, Game Director

"I am thankful to work for a studio that values every department equally."
Steve Meier, System Administrator

"I am thankful that my work puts a smile on people's faces."
Stephen Chin, Designer

"I'm thankful to DeeJ, for promising to kill me last."
Elliott Gray, Senior Graphic Designer

"I am thankful for our players who drive me to create more interesting activities."
Tim Williams, Senior Designer

"I am thankful for the countless opportunities through which our studio gives back to the world beyond entertainment."
Mark Flieg, Senior Artist

"I am thankful to have a community that inspires us to do better all the time - and for patient friends who wait for me during the jumping puzzles in the raid."
Mariana Sulcs, Producer

"I am thankful for the love and honesty our community shows us every day."
Samir Patel, Producer

"I am thankful for all of the tools, sites, and apps created by the Destiny community."
John Shaffstall, Engineer

"I am thankful for our community of Guardians, who's creativity and passion knows no bounds."
Dustin Kochensparger, Live Producer

"I'm thankful that Bungie promotes inclusivity both in-game and in-studio."
Stephen Glauser, Engine: InfraOps Support

"I'm thankful for the streamers: their kindness, charity, community, and optimism is beacon of hope for all guardians."
Ian Flower, Characters and Story Engineer

"I am thankful to work on - and play in -- an incredible world filled with incredible players."
Vince Ste. Marie, Performance Tester

"I am thankful for the cleverest of dragons."
Kevin Neilson, Technical Audio Designer

"I am thankful that I got a patch note into our next update."
Mat Noguchi, Engine Lifeguard

"I am thankful that my parents always had quarters at the ready when I was a kid."
Pat Jandro, Senior Artist

"I am thankful to be working with such incredibly talented and passionate coworkers."
Kurt Nellis, Staff Artist

"I am thankful that Destiny brings people together from all around the world."
Chase Lawhead, Tools BVT Manager

"I am thankful for the incredible group of people I work with that push me to be better at what I do, every day."
Jayce Diaz, Designer

"I am thankful for the Titans that defend our City."
Chase Christian, Senior IT Engineer

"I am thankful I have the privilege of managing the best gaming community on the planet."
Chris "Cozmo" Shannon, Community Manager

"I am thankful for the light of love and compassion in a dark world."
Aaron Steelman, Lead Designer

"I'm thankful you guys liked Wrath of the Machine."
Brendan Thorne, Designer

"I am thankful that I can create challenges that require cooperation to overcome."
Stuart Monske, Senior Raid Designer

"I am thankful for the community creating countless hilarious videos of the Taken Phalanx blasting Guardians off the Colony Ship."
Evan Nikolich, Design Lead

"I am thankful to be home."
Josh Hamrick, Senior Designer

"I'm thankful for the fact that Destiny is available 24/7. Being in the Destiny Operations Center, even on holidays, is always a special experience."
Marcus Schubert, DOC Specialist

I stand corrected by that final contribution... There is always someone working at Bungie, seeing to it that the Guardians can defend the vulnerable. That is another job that's never finished. The game must flow.

More than anything, every single person at Bungie thanks you for playing. Without you, we'd just be making software without a destiny.

We'll be back in the swing of things next week. The cadence of new content in Destiny is about to speed up again. We hope you can keep up.

DeeJ, out.