Update: 04/14/2022: The seven states where Bungie is offering fully remote eligible positions is "only the start" of the developer's commitment to go "digital-first".
While these positions are currently only available in California, Florida, Illinois, Oregon, North Carolina, Texas, and Washington, Bungie plans to add more locations to this list in the future.
Speaking to IGN, a Bungie spokesperson said: "This is only the start of our transition to a digital-first approach to hybrid work. We plan to open new locations and will make additional announcements as they become available."
Original Story: Destiny developer Bungie has said that it is committed to remote working for "most current and future roles".
Announcing its intentions on Twitter (below), and spotted by Kotaku, Bungie said it would be adopting a "digital-first" approach for future job positions. California, Florida, Illinois, Oregon, North Carolina, Texas, and Washington are the "approved" states that are fully remote eligible.
It's currently unconfirmed why fully remote roles are only available in these seven states, or if Bungie plans on extending the offerings to other parts of the U.S., but IGN has reached out for comment regarding these matters.
Bungie is going digital-first.
— Bungie (@Bungie) April 12, 2022
Most current and future roles will be fully remote eligible in these states with more coming soon! https://t.co/5Jv3FZRv28 pic.twitter.com/Ot43z9tgZm
Bungie has become the first major AAA video game company to declare a near-fully remote approach indefinitely. Along with the rest of the world, most developers were forced home as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic but some studios are transitioning back into the office.
Employees of Activision Blizzard recently staged a walkout over issues involving remote working and vaccination requirements last week.
A company-wide vaccine mandate was removed "effective immediately" prompting the ABK (Activision Blizzard King) Workers Alliance to organise a walkout in protest, through which they also called for remote work to "be offered as a permanent solution".
Bungie, while arguably best known for creating the Halo series, is now most associated with Destiny. It recently took legal action against several anonymous individuals that filed fake copyright claims in its name that caused havoc in the Destiny community.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer who occasionally remembers to tweet @thelastdinsdale. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.