Sony has laid off the majority of Bungie's Destiny 2 team, with studio head Justin Truman also stepping down, according to an announcement by Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Hermen Hulst. The layoffs extend to the Marathon team and Sony's support studios that have worked with Bungie.
Hulst shared an email with employees explaining the decision: 'Over the past several months, together with Bungie leadership, we reviewed the studio’s long-term direction, development priorities, resource needs, and role within our broader portfolio strategy. We explored multiple alternatives before concluding that a reduction was necessary to align the studio’s resources with its current priorities and long-term goals.' No exact numbers were provided, but the cuts affect a substantial portion of the workforce.
Background and Impact
This follows Bungie's announcement that Destiny 2 will no longer receive updates, and earlier rumours that at least 50% of its staff would be laid off. The Final Shape expansion, released in 2024, was received positively but still failed to meet Sony's expectations, leading to previous layoffs. In 2023, Destiny 2 saw a sharp decline in popularity, which triggered initial job cuts.
Bungie was acquired by Sony in 2022 for approximately £2.7 billion. An anonymous Bungie source claimed the studio overpromised on what it could deliver, and Sony admitted last year it was treating the acquisition as a loss. Bungie was brought in to assist with Sony's live service game plans, which have largely been abandoned after the failure of Concord.
Future Projects and Restructuring
Hulst noted that Bungie has already begun 'a new journey,' suggesting work on at least one new project. While support for Marathon will continue, the team is also working on 'incubation efforts for future projects.' However, there are no plans for Destiny 3. Rumours of a MOBA codenamed Gummy Bears have circulated, but part of that workforce has reportedly been integrated into a new team within PlayStation Studios. Alternatively, Bungie may become a support studio for other first-party titles, especially live service games.
Some live service projects persist, such as Marathon and Guerrilla Games' Horizon Hunters Gathering spin-off, but many others have been quietly cancelled as Sony focuses on traditional single-player games like Insomniac's Wolverine. The restructuring highlights Sony's shifting priorities away from live service ventures.
