Summary
The recent news ofDestiny 2developer Bungie laying off staff has come as a massive surprise to the studio’s fanbase, and new sources have revealed that the decision to terminate staff was made directly byBungie management rather than Sony, who officially acquired the studio earlier in July 2022. The currently undisclosed number of employees laid off by Bungie include several names who have been contributing to the Washington-based studio’s various hit titles for several decades now, with the sudden decision to cut back staff dealing a substantial blow to Bungie’s public image as well as the confidence of theDestiny 2community at large.
Bungie’s decision to cut back stafftook much of the industry by surprise following a report from Kotaku, with various big names such as art director Lorraine McLees, community manager Liana Ruppert, and evenDestiny 2composer Michael Salvatori confirmed to have been laid off from the studio per individual statements made across social media. While layoffs have unfortunately been common across countless gaming and technology companies in particular over the past few years, Bungie is now the fourth Sony subsidiary that has experienced staff cuts this month alone, with other Sony-owned studios including Naughty Dog, Visual Arts, and Media Molecule all seeing layoffs since the start of October.
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While news of the recent layoffs at Bungie has resulted in widespread speculation and confusion online, new information shared by an undisclosed internal source via Forbes' Paul Tassi on Twitter reveals that the choice to terminate staff was made by management at Bungie rather than the studio’s parent company. The move to cut staff allegedly wasn’t made in Sony’s interests at all, information which has again come as a shock to many fans ofBungie’s massively-popular online shootertitle. Further, many of the employee benefits at Bungie excluding health insurance only remain in effect to the end of the month for employees following termination, meaning that terminated members of staff received only one day of coverage across these benefits due to them being effectively terminated on October 30.
Fans ofBungieand the studio’s flagship MMO titleDestiny 2had previously expected this development to be a result of decisions made by Sony, particularly after learning that such massive names within the studio were let go of along with the layoffs. Unsurprisingly, the loss of such key figures withinDestiny 2’s development and production teams has produced serious concern among the game’s fanbase, with many now fearing for the future of the franchise.
While there has not yet been any official confirmation from the studio, Bungie is reportedly expecting todelay the release ofDestiny 2’s upcoming expansion,The Final Shape, to June of 2024 amid the recent layoffs. Rumors also suggest that the studio’s upcoming extraction shooter and rebootMarathonis also expected to be delayed until 2025.
Destiny 2
WHERE TO PLAY
Dive into the world of Destiny 2 to explore the mysteries of the solar system and experience responsive first-person shooter combat. Unlock powerful elemental abilities and collect unique gear to customize your Guardian’s look and playstyle. Enjoy Destiny 2’s cinematic story, challenging co-op missions, and a variety of PvP modes alone or with friends. Download for free today and write your legend in the stars.An Immersive StoryYou are a Guardian, defender of the Last City of humanity in a solar system under siege by infamous villains. Look to the stars and stand against the darkness. Your legend begins now.Guardian ClassesChoose from the armored Titan, mystic Warlock, or swift Hunter.
