Bungie has announced a "reduction in force," citing the need to "align the studio’s resources with its current priorities and long-term goals." The decision follows the conclusion of development for Destiny 2 and comes as the studio's new projects remain in their early stages. In a statement, Bungie acknowledged that "Destiny 2 fell short of expectations these past several years," a sentiment echoed by reports of declining player engagement in recent times, despite a recent resurgence in player numbers on Steam.
Hermen Hulst, CEO of Sony's Studio Business Group, stated that a comprehensive review of Bungie's long-term direction, development priorities, and resource needs was conducted. "We explored multiple alternatives before concluding that a reduction was necessary," Hulst explained. He affirmed Sony's continued support for Bungie, specifically mentioning the ongoing development of Marathon and "incubation efforts for future projects."
The number of employees affected by the layoffs has not been disclosed. The current situation has drawn comparisons to BioWare's trajectory, with concerns raised about the long-term future of studios undergoing significant structural changes. Despite Destiny 2's conclusion, its player count on Steam has seen a notable increase, prompting observations about the potential of the game itself and the current focus on Marathon, a non-free-to-play live service game with significantly lower player counts.
