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Forums - Gaming - Halo and Destiny composer Marty O'Donnell was fired from Bungie for no reason

CommonNinja on 16 April 2014

This is utter madness!!!

Marty is my favorite composer, and he IS IRREPLACEABLE as they will soon find out.



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CommonNinja on 16 April 2014
Shaunaka said:
Internet gamers being "disgusted", "shocked", and "at a loss for words".

They can't believe how it could happened. Let's all all hands and sing kumbaya together eh.

No one is ever fired "for no reason".


According to a Bungie employee on reddit he was fired because he got in an argument with one of the people on the board of directors, and the board already fealt that he was being paid too much so they fired him because they believed that they could get somebody just as good for a lot cheaper "without all the drama".

He later goes on to say that he doesn't think it was right, and could have been worked through.



jibbyjackjoe on 16 April 2014

Could he have been too expensive to keep? Sucks though...I don't like seeing people lose their jobs :(



zumnupy10 on 16 April 2014

Very odd decission.



badgenome on 16 April 2014

"Without cause" =/= no reason.



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Lyrikalstylez on 16 April 2014

Ever since they joined with activision they started going downhill for me.....

Activision is evil



walsufnir on 16 April 2014

Hmm, seems like something strange is happening at Bungie... Didn't another guy leave Bungie just last week?



Veknoid_Outcast on 16 April 2014
Kratos said:
This was posted on the bungie forum not sure if true:

Quote from "bungie_employee" on reddit:

Okay. So I can't give out too much detail here, but I will let you know what I know. Marty was a contracted employee, he didn't just get a fee for each game he produced. Marty had received a significant raise in the last few years, but was now asking for another. This created tension between him and the board (some of whom already felt he was overpaid). A verbal argument ensued recently between Marty and a member of the board. Shortly there after he was let go. So there was certainly 'cause' but one that a lot of us felt could be worked through. But money talks. The board feels they can get someone for cheaper, and without the drama, that will have a better ROI.

So basically it seems that tensions rose to a breaking point, one the board felt they couldn't work past, or didn't want to deal with, so they let Marty go. I'm not saying it was right (I don't think it was), but that is the situation.

This makes sense, if true. The job of any for-profit is to make money, and it's possible that high-ranking members thought they could turn as good or better a profit with a composer who required less money and less maintenance. Still, some people are irreplaceable, and I'd argue O'Donnell is one of them. He's one of the top 10 video game composers of all time.

I'm sure he'll find a good home (and a big pay check) wherever he goes next. Best of luck to him.



AZWification on 16 April 2014

Yup. Getting a job at 343i is going to be very hard for the poor man!



                
       ---Member of the official Squeezol Fanclub---

kitler53 on 16 April 2014
Kratos said:
This was posted on the bungie forum not sure if true:

Quote from "bungie_employee" on reddit:

Okay. So I can't give out too much detail here, but I will let you know what I know. Marty was a contracted employee, he didn't just get a fee for each game he produced. Marty had received a significant raise in the last few years, but was now asking for another. This created tension between him and the board (some of whom already felt he was overpaid). A verbal argument ensued recently between Marty and a member of the board. Shortly there after he was let go. So there was certainly 'cause' but one that a lot of us felt could be worked through. But money talks. The board feels they can get someone for cheaper, and without the drama, that will have a better ROI.

So basically it seems that tensions rose to a breaking point, one the board felt they couldn't work past, or didn't want to deal with, so they let Marty go. I'm not saying it was right (I don't think it was), but that is the situation.

i'll assume "bungie_employee" is not verified but the story feels like it could be true.

...there is always a reason even if it is a dumb one.  i've seen more than a few people get fired for no more reason than their boss didn't like working with them.  honestly, anyone who gets in a heated argument with their boss kind of deserves to get fired,... shows stupidity in their choices.

 

anyways, as i haven't played any of the halo games i find myself quite indifferent.