Sony announced significant layoffs at Bungie, primarily affecting the team behind the Destiny franchise. The company did not disclose the number of employees impacted, stating only that the layoffs involved a “significant number.” The reductions were deemed necessary to align Bungie’s resources with the studio’s current priorities and long-term goals.
This announcement follows the recent final content update for Destiny 2. Reports from May indicated that developers at Bungie were not working on a third installment, Destiny 3, which suggested that layoffs were anticipated.
Some members of the Marathon team also faced layoffs, although the game will continue to receive content updates. The remaining staff will focus on Marathon as well as “incubation efforts for future projects.” Layoffs have occurred across Sony’s gaming division, particularly impacting teams associated with Destiny and Marathon.
Bungie studio head Justin Truman is stepping down from his position. Sony has expressed dissatisfaction with Destiny 2’s financial performance, indicating that the game’s sales and user engagement did not meet expectations after its acquisition.
Sony purchased Bungie for approximately $3.6 billion in 2022. The company’s valuation has since been lowered to around $2.8 billion, resulting in a loss of over $700 million.
