Jason Jones, Co-Creator of Halo and Destiny and Co-Founder of Bungie, Announces New Studio
Bungie co-founder Jason Jones has announced the launch of Stone Kite, an ambitious new entertainment studio formed in partnership with industry veteran Margaret Stohl. The team's debut project is One Zero One, a four-part limited comic book series based on an original sci-fi manuscript written by Jones himself.
The gaming world was excited to learn that legendary game designer and Bungie co-founder Jason Jones has officially embarked on a brand-new creative venture. Best known as one of the primary visionary creators behind world-renowned franchises like Halo and Destiny, Jones is stepping into multi-medium storytelling with his new Los Angeles-based studio, Stone Kite.
Partnering with acclaimed author and Bungie veteran Margaret Stohl, who takes on the role of Chief Executive Officer, Stone Kite aims to reinvent how massive fictional universes are constructed. Rather than starting with a single video game or novel and attempting to adapt it into other forms later, Stone Kite brings world-class creators from diverse fields together from day one to build deep, enduring worlds across books, comics, film, television, and interactive media.
Who Is Bungie Co-Founder Jason Jones and What Is Stone Kite?
To fully appreciate the significance of this announcement, it helps to understand the history of the key figures behind Stone Kite. Jason Jones co-founded Bungie back in 1991, helping transform the developer from a small independent studio into one of the most influential game development companies in modern history. Over the decades, Jones served in critical creative leadership roles, including Chief Vision Officer, overseeing the development of original gaming icons.
Despite his massive influence on modern action games, Jones is famously private. He rarely gives interviews or makes public appearances, preferring to let his work speak for itself. In fact, his landmark career-spanning interview with IGN in 2013 was his first interview in over a decade at the time, and he has spoken publicly only on rare occasions since.
Now, Stone Kite marks a major new chapter for Jones. Based in Los Angeles, the company was established to dissolve traditional media barriers and foster direct collaboration among top storytelling talent across global creative industries.
Meet CEO Margaret Stohl: Author, Game Developer, and Creative Leader
Leading Stone Kite alongside Jones is CEO Margaret Stohl. Stohl brings an exceptionally diverse creative background to the studio, having authored 14 published books, contributed to numerous major video games, and written extensively for Marvel Comics during her impressive career.
As a Bungie veteran herself, Stohl understands both the complexities of narrative design in complex interactive systems and the nuances of published prose and comic book formats. Her background makes her uniquely qualified to steer a modern studio dedicated to collaborative multi-platform world-building.
Breaking Down Media Silos: The Core Philosophy Behind Stone Kite
For decades, the standard path for entertainment franchises involved launching in a single initial medium—such as a novel, comic book, or video game—and eventually adapting that intellectual property into movies, shows, or sequels. Stone Kite was explicitly designed to reject this linear approach in favor of simultaneous, multi-disciplinary development.
Margaret Stohl outlined the studio's founding philosophy, emphasizing how traditional adaptation processes often limit a franchise's potential over time:
"I've spent my career creating books, games, comics, film and television, and I've seen how often the medium that tells the first story ends up defining everything that comes after it," Stohl explained. "Stone Kite is about breaking down those old media silos. Instead of starting in one medium and adapting outward, we bring the best global creators from different disciplines into the room from day one to shape the world together."
By bringing creators together right from the start, Stone Kite ensures that every medium gets to contribute natively to the world's core lore, tone, and character foundations.
Building Long-Lasting Worlds for Global Communities
Beyond breaking down structural industry barriers, Stone Kite emphasizes community engagement and long-term world building. Stohl noted that traditional workflows can restrict innovation by over-relying on established habits rather than fresh creative ideas.
"We change the conversation," Stohl added. "We never say that's how it's traditionally done. We build communities, and we listen to them. That's how we're creating worlds that people can explore for decades, in whatever ways they want."
This community-first philosophy ensures that audiences have multiple points of entry into Stone Kite's fictional universes, allowing fans to engage through their favorite formats without missing out on narrative depth.
From Used Bookstores to Sci-Fi Comics: Jason Jones on His Passion for Writing
Although world-renowned as a game designer, Bungie co-founder Jason Jones has harbored a lifelong passion for written prose and sci-fi literature. Reflecting on his personal journey, Jones shared stories from his youth that sparked his desire to create written stories.
Jones recalled spending long hours pursuing classic science fiction paperbacks that inspired his imagination long before he began making world-famous video games:
"I've spent my whole life making games, but I've always wanted to write," Jones revealed. "I used to bike fifteen miles along Lake Michigan to the used bookstores in North Chicago, and bike home again with a backpack full of sci-fi paperbacks."
It was his creative relationship with Margaret Stohl that gave Jones the confidence to turn his long-standing literary ideas into fully realized commercial projects.
"Margie was the first person to believe I could write a book of my own, the first person to read it, and the one person I trusted to help me develop it into epic entertainment that leaves the world a better place," Jones added.
What Is One Zero One? Everything You Need to Know About the Debut Comic
Stone Kite's flagship project is One Zero One, a four-part limited comic book series directly adapted from an original prose manuscript authored by Jason Jones. The project represents the first concrete look at the creative direction fans can expect from the new studio.
The comic explores classic science fiction themes through a gripping, high-stakes narrative framework centered around humanity's fight for survival against advanced technology.
The Core Premise of One Zero One
- The Central Conflict: An impending, intense face-off between human survivors and a rogue army of AI-driven robots.
- The Format: A structured four-part limited comic series based on Jones's personal sci-fi manuscript.
- Digital Availability: Part 1 is available right now for digital reading directly on the official Stone Kite website.
- Physical Preorders: Fans interested in collecting physical print editions of One Zero One can place preorders through the same web portal.
This initial comic release serves as the launchpad for Stone Kite's broader universe, providing readers with an immediate entry point into the studio's bold narrative vision.
Context Behind the Transition: Recent Events at Bungie
The announcement of Stone Kite comes amid significant changes across the gaming industry, particularly regarding Bungie's internal structure and ongoing project support.
Jason Jones co-founded Bungie in 1991 and maintained his executive role as Chief Vision Officer for decades. However, his transition to Stone Kite aligns with news surrounding widespread studio layoffs enacted by parent company Sony earlier this year, which today's announcement confirms was connected to Jones's departure from the developer.
Current Status of Bungie and the Destiny Franchise
The developments around Jones coincide with evolving updates regarding Bungie's flagship franchise, Destiny 2. Earlier this year, reports indicated that Bungie had officially ended support for Destiny 2 following planned content cycles.
However, the situation remains fluid. In a surprising turn, Bungie announced last week that the studio is not actually finished with the franchise, promising that additional Destiny content and experiences are planned for the future.
Key Takeaways: Why Stone Kite Represents a New Era in Storytelling
The formation of Stone Kite by Bungie co-founder Jason Jones and CEO Margaret Stohl highlights a growing shift in how modern entertainment franchises are conceived and developed. Here are the core highlights of today's news:
- A Visionary Partnership: Former Bungie Chief Vision Officer Jason Jones joins forces with acclaimed author and game developer Margaret Stohl.
- Multi-Medium Design: Stone Kite rejects linear adaptations, building rich fictional worlds across games, comics, film, TV, and books simultaneously.
- Debut Release Available Now: Part 1 of the four-part limited comic series One Zero One is available digitally, with physical copies available for preorder.
- Human vs. AI Narrative: One Zero One delivers a dramatic sci-fi tale exploring an impending battle between humanity and rogue AI-driven robot armies.
- A Historic Career Chapter: The launch confirms Jones's departure from Bungie following recent corporate restructuring, marking his first major original studio venture in over three decades.
Looking Ahead at Stone Kite's Future Projects
As Stone Kite kicks off its publishing journey with One Zero One, fans of sci-fi storytelling and modern world-building have plenty to look forward to. By combining decades of game design expertise with proven literary success, Jones and Stohl are creating a collaborative framework that invites global creators to build rich worlds without the constraints of traditional media boundaries.
Whether you choose to experience their stories through digital comic platforms, physical books, or future media formats, Stone Kite is positioning itself as a unique creative hub designed to craft worlds that audiences can explore for decades to come.
With the release of One Zero One Part 1, legendary Bungie co-founder Jason Jones proves that his creative vision extends far beyond game design, opening an exciting new chapter in cross-media entertainment for science fiction fans everywhere.
from IGN India
-via DynaSage
