Bungie is undergoing a significant reduction in force, impacting a substantial number of employees, including most of the Destiny team and some members of the Marathon team, PlayStation CEO Hermen Hulst confirmed. Hulst described the layoffs as a difficult and necessary decision to align Bungie's resources with its current priorities and long-term objectives.
This restructuring follows the recent conclusion of new content for Destiny 2 and coincides with lackluster player numbers for the newly launched extraction shooter, Marathon. While the exact number of affected staff has not been disclosed, Bungie employed 850 people as of 2024, with many dedicated to the Destiny franchise.
In a public statement, Hulst acknowledged that Destiny 2 has fallen short of expectations over the past several years. He noted that after the final content update for Destiny 2, and with future projects still in early development, the studio could not sustain its previous operational size. "We know this decision has a profound impact on the people affected, their families, friends, and teammates," Bungie stated in its own social media announcement. "While these changes are necessary to best position the studio now and for the future, that does not lessen the difficulty of this moment or the impact it has on those affected."
Marathon is described by Hulst as an important part of PlayStation's portfolio, and the team will continue to support its development, as well as work on incubation efforts for future projects. Details regarding these future endeavors remain unspecified for the time being.
PlayStation acquired Bungie in 2022 for $3.6 billion, a period when live-service games were a key focus for Sony. However, the company has since shifted its strategy regarding such titles. The layoffs will also affect a smaller number of PlayStation staff whose roles were tied to supporting Bungie's operations.