Bungie plans to reintroduce previously removed content for Destiny 2 and evolve its extraction shooter Marathon, according to new studio leadership. Poria Torkan, Bungie's studio head, and Josh Deane, head of product and general manager for Marathon, detailed these initiatives in a recent studio update, acknowledging past skepticism from the player base.
"We understand the skepticism," Torkan stated, referring to Bungie's previous commitments and the studio's recent downsizing. She emphasized a renewed focus on stability through prioritization and reduced competing projects, allowing teams greater autonomy. Deane added that the studio aims to "return Destiny to its original promise," which includes unvaulting past campaigns, destinations, and raids that were removed from Destiny 2. This restoration is intended to lay the groundwork for new Destiny stories and games.
While the exact implications for the future of the Destiny franchise, including any potential Destiny 3 development, remain unclear, the leadership stressed a commitment to player experience. "We have to find a way back to making games we want to play but with you at the center," Deane said.
Separately, Bungie intends to evolve Marathon by expanding its survival aspects. The development team plans to "continue strengthening its combat, world, and competitive tension while giving players more agency in how they engage with the game," according to a Bungie blog post. This includes creating more meaningful experiences for players who prefer cooperative PvE, competitive PvP, or the unpredictable PvPvE encounters that Marathon offers.
The studio's announcements come after a period of significant changes, including layoffs and the conclusion of live-service development for Destiny 2. Bungie's stated intent is to refocus its ambitions and better align its vision with development reality, with a promise to prioritize players in its future endeavors.