Following a report by Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier about layoffs at Destiny 2 developer Bungie, CEO Peter Parsons has tweeted and confirmed the same. “Today is a sad day at Bungie as we say goodbye to colleagues who have all made a significant impact on our studio.
“What these exceptional individuals have contributed to our games and Bungie culture has been enormous and will continue to be a part of Bungie long into the future.” In a follow-up tweet, Parsons added, “These are truly talented people. If you have openings, I would highly recommend each and every one of them.”
The responses are less than endearing, with some questioning what Sony’s acquisition of Bungie paid for (especially when the publisher set aside $1.2 billion for employee retention incentives). Parsons didn’t confirm the scope of the layoffs, but they include community manager and accessibility co-lead Liana Ruppert. Long-time composer Michael Salvatori is also reportedly gone, with his official website updated with the line, “Gone fishin'”. The layoffs are only the latest in a year which has seen departures from 343 Industries, The Coalition and more, while studios like Volition have shut down.
Schreier’s report also mentioned that The Final Shape, Destiny 2’s next expansion and the final part of the Light and Darkness Saga, has been delayed to June 2024, while Marathon is allegedly releasing in 2025. The company hasn’t confirmed either, so stay tuned for further updates.
Today is a sad day at Bungie as we say goodbye to colleagues who have all made a significant impact on our studio. What these exceptional individuals have contributed to our games and Bungie culture has been enormous and will continue to be a part of Bungie long into the future.
— pete parsons (@pparsons) October 30, 2023
These are truly talented people. If you have openings, I would highly recommend each and every one of them.
— pete parsons (@pparsons) October 30, 2023
