the-pi-guy said:
r/GamingLeaksAndRumours/comments/ Hey there,
I'm writing this on a throwaway. Please use this info to corroborate other sources you may have.
Internal perspective at Sony is very negative towards Bungie right now. It is seen as a failed investment and strategies being discusses[sic] revolve around more of recouping losses. One internal leader from US is fighting to take over to right the ship, while many others across the Pacific want a much harsher method. The former US leader holds a lot of respect from overseas leadership, so it is likely (s)he will get their way. That person's perspective is that there are a many 'gluttonous' executives at Bungie who are not doing their jobs and are hindering the organization. It is believed that the workers are skilled, but the leadership is unable to perform their duties.
Bungie is in a hard spot, because pre-order numbers are lower than anticipated. I apologize, I do not have details on actual numbers. Sony believes that the finances will not allow Bungie to avoid a takeover even with another round of layoffs, as that would cannibalize development and future revenue.
Overall, Sony has been very upset at Bungie leadership. They have not been able to successfully advise Sony teams, and while Lightfall hit internal revenue targets, every target since has been missed at an escalating decline. Bungie leadership regularly reschedule meetings with Sony leadership, know that the next timeslot can be months away.
I hope this sheds light for ongoings from Sony's side. It is believed that the takeover would allow Sony to turn Destiny into a more profitable game. This sounds bad, but it is being treated as 'lightning in a bottle'. Sony leadership wants to nurture the game, and understand that more aggressive monetization would not be healthy. There would be a monetization model switch, though, as it is believed the current model is too confusing. The main difference between the US leader vs Japan leaders getting their way matters more for Bungie's in-development titles. If Japan leadership gets their way, teams for future titles will be gutted and reformed.
No idea if this is true. But I feel like it feels reasonable. Bungie has clearly been struggling to meet goals for a while. Sony has tended to be somewhat risk averse, Bungie is far and away the biggest risk they've taken, and it doesn't seem to have gone the way they hoped. |
Dude, this is getting insane!
Bungie Replaces Marathon Director Amid Leadership Shakeup, Fears of Layoffs - IGN
Christopher Barrett apparently was removed from directing Marathon, replaced by former Valorant game director Joe Ziegler who has changed the direction of Marathon from custom player characters in favor of a selectable cast of heroes.
The team is worried about not being able to get Marathon out the door by mid 2026. There does not seem to be a post-launch support plan either. "There is a strong push to get Marathon out the door before then, and let whoever takes the reins after that (be it Sony or Bungie) worry about how it's sustained."
Further confirmation that Matter was cancelled and "Gummy Bears" has been put on ice.
Apparently within the company, there is a growing expectation that senior company leadership will leave in droves in the summer of 2026 when the final payouts from Sony's acquisition of the company take effect.
If any of this is remotely true, this may go down as one of the worst acquisitions in gaming.
