As a long-time fan of Bungie and their illustrious gaming universe, this news has left me feeling a tad disheartened and concerned. The studio that brought us Halo and Destiny is facing some tough times, with 220 jobs being cut, and it’s hard not to feel a pang of empathy for the affected employees.
17% of Bungie’s staff, who are known for creating games like the Destiny series and earlier Halo titles, have been let go according to recent announcements from the studio.
In a blog post, CEO Pete Parsons confirmed that 220 roles have been ‘eliminated’, affecting every level of the company.
The job cuts are happening following economic uncertainties and the less-than-stellar performance of Destiny 2: Lightfall in 2023, while this year’s Final Shape was met with far more favorable reviews.
Bungie eliminates 220 jobs, refocuses on Destiny 2 and Marathon
Although Marathon is in progress, and the recent expansion of Destiny titled The Final Shape has been successful, Parsons has stated that “Given the escalating costs of development, industry transformations, and persisting economic circumstances, it’s evident that we must significantly alter our cost structure.”
All departing employees are promised a “generous exit package.“
As a passionate fan, I’m sharing some exciting news about my favorite studio, Bungie. Instead of pulling back, they’re actually strengthening their bond with Sony by incorporating a significant portion of their team into Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE). To be more specific, approximately 155 roles, which is around 12% of their workforce, will be transitioning to SIE in the coming quarters. This move signals that we might see even more collaborative efforts on iconic games like Destiny, Marathon, and another unannounced project from Bungie and Sony.
The blog post disclosed that Bungie and Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) are collaborating on the production of a fresh action sci-fi game. They plan to expand one of their experimental projects, an action game set in a unique science-fantasy world, by establishing a new studio under PlayStation Studios to carry on its intriguing development.
Parsons argued that Bungie’s endeavor to balance numerous planned Destiny expansions alongside Marathon may have been overly ambitious, resulting in a perceived drop in quality for Lightfall. Notably, the course of action had shifted substantially prior to The Final Shape being postponed before its recent delay last month.
“Bungie is about to face some tough times, and it’s crucial that we assist our staff in managing these transitions during the coming weeks and months,” according to Parsons.
As a gaming enthusiast, I’ve noticed that some game development studios under Sony’s umbrella have gone through difficult times recently. Studios like Naughty Dog, Insomniac Games, and Guerrilla Games were among those affected when Sony reduced their workforce by about 900 employees in February.
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2024-07-31 19:12