Players expressing their desire for a continuation of Bungie's looter shooter franchise, Destiny, have been spamming the chat of Sony's State of Play livestreams with the hashtag #WeWantDestiny. The calls for a potential Destiny 3 come amid reported struggles for Bungie's current extraction shooter, Marathon.
While the immediate focus of the State of Play was on other titles, the persistent messaging from Destiny fans highlights a strong sentiment for the franchise's future. Reports indicate that Bungie shifted focus away from Destiny 2 earlier this year to prioritize Marathon, a decision that has seemingly not resonated with players. Marathon, which launched with a reported budget exceeding $250 million, has reportedly failed to meet sales expectations, leading to increased fan sentiment for a return to the Destiny universe.
The development path for Destiny 2 has been rocky, with issues reportedly escalating around the time of the underperforming "Edge of Fate" expansion. An internal concept for a relaunch, "Destiny Infinity," which would have revived the original "one big expansion" model, was ultimately shelved due to high costs and risks. Destiny 3 was also considered, but production costs were cited as a primary obstacle to its development.
Bungie's financial difficulties have been a recurring theme. Following the parting of ways with publisher Activision in 2019, Bungie self-published Destiny 2 but faced challenges including layoffs and expansions that failed to meet commercial targets. The studio was reportedly on the brink of closure before Sony's acquisition in 2022 for $3.6 billion. This acquisition has not been without its own financial repercussions, with Sony reporting a $765 million impairment loss attributed to Bungie's underperformance.
These financial pressures have led to significant workforce reductions at Bungie. The studio underwent a substantial round of layoffs impacting nearly 300 employees at its Bellevue, Washington office, with a formal separation date in July. This marks the third round of layoffs for Bungie in three years, with the total number of staff reductions between October 2023 and July 2024 amounting to approximately 320 employees, a figure that local press has described as a "bloodbath."