Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), Bungie’s parent company, is laying off “most” of the Destiny team, “some” Marathon developers, and eliminating a number of roles across SIE teams that support the studio’s operations.
SIE CEO Hermen Hulst shared the news in a blog post this morning and explained those impacted at Bungie and within SIE are “being informed today.” While Hulst didn’t specify how many roles are being cut, he said a “significant number” of employees will be made redundant.
“This decision was made only after extensive discussion and careful consideration, and I want to provide some context on how we arrived here,” added Hulst. “Over the past several months, together with Bungie leadership, we reviewed the studio’s long-term direction, development priorities, resource needs, and role within our broader portfolio strategy. We explored multiple alternatives before concluding that a reduction was necessary to align the studio’s resources with its current priorities and long-term goals.”
Last month, Bungie announced it was ending live development on Destiny 2, with a June 9 update serving as a farewell. The news came after Sony’s reveal last fall that Destiny 2 was not performing to the parent company’s expectations.
As a reminder, Sony purchased Bungie for $3.6 billion in 2022, around five years after Destiny 2’s original release.
Four years later, following the news about the end of live development, Bloomberg reported that Sony was preparing to jettison a “significant” number of Bungie workers.
Bloomberg’s report also mentioned that Bungie is now pivoting its efforts to Marathon, which Hulst confirmed in today’s announcement.
“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. While it’s too early to discuss, we are encouraged by the creativity and opportunities that lie ahead.”
Hulst said SIE will provide “transition support” to impacted workers and is attempting to identify relocation opportunities across SIE and the company’s global network of studios “where possible.”
“I know today’s news is deeply difficult not only for those leaving, but for those colleagues and friends that remain. Please take the time you need to process this news and support one another,” Hulst said.
Game Developer has contacted Sony Interactive Entertainment for more information on the matter.