Joe Ziegler, known for his directorial roles on Riot's Valorant and Bungie's Marathon, has opened up about his career, his gaming habits, and the titles that have left a lasting impression. Ziegler, who transitioned from guiding Bungie's extraction shooter revival in March 2024, is now working on an undisclosed new project.
Early Influences and Career Path
Ziegler's early gaming experiences were shaped by point-and-click adventures like King's Quest, appreciating their clever puzzle-solving and "A-ha!" moments. His professional career began at Pandemic Studios, working on The Saboteur before moving to Riot Games for Valorant. His return to Bungie to lead Marathon followed the dismissal of its previous director. "My goal ultimately when I'm thinking about 'What do I direct and what do I make?' is 'Where can I make the coolest thing with the coolest people?'" Ziegler stated regarding his career aspirations.
Current Gaming Habits
Ziegler revealed that he is currently revisiting Elden Ring with friends, drawn to its blend of soulslike difficulty and multiplayer roguelike progression. "It's a game that's near and dear to me," he commented. He also plays Star Wars: Galactic Racer, describing it as a roguelike racer that offers an interesting shift in pace and buildcrafting opportunities. Previously, Ziegler also returned to Destiny 2 with friends, reminiscing about his time playing a Warlock and leveling up a Titan with a prismatic spec.
Bungie's Culture and Marathon's Development
Reflecting on his time at Bungie, Ziegler noted the company's dual nature: carrying a significant legacy while maintaining an egoless environment focused on improvement. He described the development of Marathon as a period with "project where there were a lot of disagreements across the place," and his role involved helping teams find a cohesive vision. Ziegler's initial interest in Bungie stemmed from the legacy of games like Halo and Destiny, influenced by his early experiences with Myth 2 and an invitation to E3 facilitated by Bungie's early marketing efforts.
Deep Dives into Game Libraries
Ziegler's Steam library reveals a significant dedication to action RPGs, with over 3,437 hours logged in Path of Exile. He cited the game's freedom in buildcrafting and experimentation as its primary draw. "ARPGs to me are [about the] buildcrafting and the cleverness of putting things together," he explained. While he has played Path of Exile 2, he prefers the more expansive system of the original.
Enduring Favorites and Essential Software
When asked about games he would never uninstall, Ziegler immediately pointed to the Kingdom Hearts series, particularly Kingdom Hearts 2. He views the series, despite its complex narrative, as a story about growing up and finds its exploration of identity and innocence particularly compelling. "For all its confusing and overly complicated narrative, it's still a story about growing up," he stated.
Non-gaming software that Ziegler relies on is Discord, which he uses for both social interaction with friends and, at times, for work. He also noted his extensive history with World of Warcraft, estimating over three years of in-game time, and theorizes that the game served as early social media before modern platforms emerged.
Regarding his desktop tidiness, Ziegler admitted it's not organized, attributing this to frequent technology changes and the fact that he rarely interacts directly with his desktop, as it's usually covered by other applications like his browser or Discord. His oldest installed game is The Secret of Monkey Island from 1990, a title he credits with shaping his appreciation for adventure game design and its unique blend of humor and puzzle-solving.