Sony announced significant layoffs at Bungie, primarily affecting the team behind the Destiny franchise. The company reported that a “significant number” of employees were impacted, although the exact figure remains undisclosed. The layoffs also affected some developers working on the upcoming title Marathon.
Bungie studio head Justin Truman confirmed his resignation as part of these changes. Sony stated it explored multiple alternatives before deciding on the layoffs, aiming to align the studio’s resources with its current priorities and long-term goals. The announcement follows the final content update for Destiny 2, and the decision was likely made prior to that release.
Reports from Bloomberg indicated in May that Bungie developers were not engaged in work on Destiny 3, suggesting that layoffs were anticipated. Despite the cuts, Sony confirmed that the remaining team at Bungie will continue working on Marathon and other incubation efforts for future projects. Reductions in staff have also occurred across Sony’s gaming division, particularly impacting those associated with Destiny and Marathon.
In its evaluation of Bungie’s financial standing following its acquisition in 2022 for approximately $3.6 billion, Sony expressed dissatisfaction with Destiny 2’s performance. The company stated that the game’s sales and user engagement had not met expectations. The valuation of Bungie has since been adjusted to around $2.8 billion, resulting in a loss of over $700 million for Sony.
