Can Halo creator's next game Destiny live up to the hype?

Bungie has some seriously bold ambitions for its upcoming shared-world shooter Destiny. Writing as part of the latest Bungie Weekly Update, the developer laid out its vision for the upcoming game, the first of the studio's decade-long partnership with the juggernaut Call of Duty and Skylanders company Activision Publishing.

"At Bungie, we want to make a game that matters--to break new ground in your imagination. We don't want to make something that’s just good enough to ship," Bungie said. "Our goal is to change the way you think about all the games you play. We want to redefine what you come to expect when you have a weapon in your hands and your own hunt and evade scenarios are afoot."

Bungie has a proven track record for blazing trails in the gaming world. The studio's best-known work, Halo, popularized console shooters and is considered Microsoft's crown jewel even today. To bet against Bungie would seem to be unwise, but we won't know for sure how impactful the game will be until it officially arrives on September 9. A beta for the game will arrive this summer first on PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4.

It's not just Bungie that believes Destiny will raise the bar. Activision Publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg said this month that Destiny is on track to become the "best-selling new video game IP in history." Activision executives also anticipate that Destiny could become Activision Publishing's third billion-dollar franchise, joining Call of Duty and Skylanders.