Joe Ziegler, Game Director for Bungie's extraction shooter Marathon, confirmed on July 17 that he will be leaving the studio. Ziegler is passing leadership of the game to Assistant Game Director Del Chafe III, a 15-year Bungie veteran, who will now guide Marathon alongside Creative Director Julia Nardin.
Ziegler stated that both Chafe and Nardin have been instrumental in the game's development and are prepared to lead Marathon into its next phase. In a post on X, Ziegler expressed pride in their abilities and excitement for the future of the project. "The mission will continue in new and surprising ways so stay tuned for what this team has in store for you!" he added, thanking the community for their support in creating the game's "dark and terrifying space survival frontier."
Marathon's player count has recently seen a significant drop. On July 9, the game hit an all-time low of 2,030 concurrent players on Steam, continuing a downward trend. This decline follows a period of significant restructuring at Bungie, which included mass layoffs in June. Approximately 300 employees, nearly 40 percent of the studio's estimated headcount, were let go.
Among those affected by the June layoffs was Marathon General Manager Scott Taylor, who has since been replaced by Joshua Deane. Lars Bakken, a senior design lead with over 20 years at Bungie and design credits on titles including Halo 3 and Marathon, also departed the studio. Ziegler did not specify his next career move but indicated it would be at another game studio.
Despite these changes and declining player numbers, Sony has affirmed its commitment to Marathon. A full Player-vs-Environment (PvE) mode, anticipated to attract new players, is not expected until the fall. Ziegler's departure marks a significant shift for the game as it navigates its post-launch development and seeks to regain player engagement.