Sony Confirms 'Significant' Bungie Layoffs Include 'Most of the Destiny Team and Some Marathon Team Members'
Sony PlayStation CEO Hermen Hulst has officially confirmed that Bungie is undergoing "significant" layoffs, affecting most of the Destiny team and some members of the Marathon team. The move, described by Hulst as "difficult" and "painful," is being made to align the studio’s resources with its current priorities and long-term goals. This comes at a time when Destiny 2 has stopped receiving new content, and Marathon's launch has not met expectations in terms of player engagement.
Hulst noted that "multiple alternatives" were explored before the decision to proceed with layoffs was made, but no specifics were given. The PlayStation boss also acknowledged that while Destiny 2 is considered "remarkable", it is no longer in active development. There are no current plans for a Destiny 3 or any other major updates to the franchise, despite ongoing fan interest and speculation.
Bungie’s Future Lies with Marathon and New Projects
According to Hulst, Marathon remains an important part of Sony’s portfolio, and the team behind it will continue to be supported. He emphasized that the Marathon team — now likely the only team remaining at Bungie — will also be involved in developing new projects in the future.
"Marathon remains an important part of our portfolio, and we will continue to support the team as they build on the strong foundation established in Season 1 and 2, and as they work on incubation efforts for future projects," Hulst said in his blog post. "While it’s too early to discuss, we are encouraged by the creativity and opportunities that lie ahead."
A Shift in Strategy Following Bungie’s Acquisition
Sony acquired Bungie in 2022 for $3.6 billion, a time when Destiny 2 was still in its peak. At the time, Sony was optimistic about the potential of live-service games, a strategy it has since largely abandoned. While the exact number of employees affected by today’s layoffs has not been confirmed, Bungie is known to have had 850 staff members as of 2024, many of whom were working on Destiny 2.
The layoffs will also affect a small number of PlayStation employees whose roles were tied to supporting Bungie’s operations. This decision comes after it was revealed that Bungie would be shifting its focus away from Destiny 2, with no new content planned and no immediate plans for a Destiny 3.
Bungie’s Statement on Layoffs
In a statement shared on social media, Bungie confirmed that layoffs were necessary as part of a studio reorganization. The company also admitted that Destiny 2 fell short of expectations in recent years.
"Following our final content update to Destiny 2, and with our future projects still in early incubation, we unfortunately could not continue operating at our previous size," the statement read. "While these changes are necessary to best position the studio now and for the future, that does not lessen the difficulty of this moment or the impact it has on those affected."
Bungie expressed its gratitude to the affected employees and those who remain, asking for support and compassion from the community.
A Call to Support Marathon
Earlier this month, a former Bungie employee suggested that the only way to support the studio now is by supporting Marathon. This highlights the growing focus on the new extraction shooter as Bungie moves forward with its new projects and reduced team size.
