To be acquired, Bungie would have requested less money from Microsoft than Sony
Microsoft was interested in buying Bungie, according to a rumor. The business was spoiled due to to the requirements of the Destiny company, considered too expensive by the house of Redmond. We all know how it ended, as just yesterday Sony announced the acquisition of Bungie for $3.6 billion dollars.
To report the rumor was insider Nate the Hate (aka Direct-Feed Games), considered very reliable in the Microsoft stuff, who also revealed some details about the bargain between Microsoft and Bungie. In your words, she stagnated in 2020, because Bungie asked for $2 billion is for maintain absolute independence (the latter granted by Sony). Microsoft then deemed the price excessive.
Microsoft considered the price too high and would also like to pay so much for the company to continue cross-platform. This self-publishing independence was rejected by Microsoft.
Microsoft & Bungie have had talks on & off for a couple of years.
Back in 2020, talks stalled between the two due to Bungie wanting in the area of $2bn and to retain independence.
That request paired with the asking price was too high for MS, at the time.
Enter Sony… https://t.co/pSqxqN1C1I
— Direct-Feed Games (@DirectFeedGames) February 1, 2022
Sony paid almost double of its own, but evidently considers Bungie strategic for its future plans, to the point of granting it a special treatment never allowed to any PlayStation Studios studio, including the possibility of continuing to be multiplatform, that is, it can still release games for Xbox or for any machine or service you want.
After all, the Japanese multinational is trying to compete in the games-as-a-service business, where it is very weak, so it is normal that it has decided to complete the deal regardless of any other considerations.
