Bungie could reportedly face a major round of layoffs after ending active development on Destiny 2. The report comes shortly after the game received its final content update, Monument of Triumph, on June 9, marking the end of nearly a decade of live service support for one of Bungie’s biggest games.
The studio has already said Destiny 2 will move into a limited maintenance phase, with work focused mainly on keeping servers online and stable. Now, reports suggest that Bungie may also be preparing for significant job cuts as it shifts away from Destiny 2 and continues work on Marathon.
One report claims that as much as half of Bungie’s workforce could be affected, including in house developers and contractors. Another report from a longtime Destiny watcher says layoffs are expected to be significant, although the exact percentage is not confirmed.
Why Bungie is reportedly heading toward layoffs
The main issue appears to be that Bungie no longer has Destiny 2 as an active development pillar. With the game’s final content update released, the studio does not need the same level of staffing for regular expansions, seasonal updates, balance changes, events, and live service operations.
Bungie is still working on Marathon, but reports suggest the studio cannot simply move hundreds of Destiny developers onto that project. The company also reportedly does not have another major greenlit project ready to absorb a large number of staff.
| Area | Reported situation |
|---|---|
| Destiny 2 | Final content update released on June 9 |
| Future Destiny 2 work | Mostly server maintenance and limited fixes |
| Reported layoffs | Expected to be significant |
| Possible impact | Developers and contractors could be affected |
| Marathon | Still in development but may not absorb all staff |
| Leadership | Some veteran departures may happen in July |
| Destiny 3 | Not currently confirmed |
That creates a difficult position for Bungie. A studio built around long term support for Destiny now has to decide what it looks like after Destiny 2.
Destiny fans are still calling for a sequel
The reports arrive as Destiny fans continue to push for the series to continue. A petition asking for Destiny 3 has gained hundreds of thousands of signatures, and player activity reportedly rose around Monument of Triumph.
That shows the audience has not disappeared. Many players still want Bungie and Sony to invest in a proper sequel rather than letting Destiny fade away. The problem is that strong fan demand does not automatically mean a new game is approved, funded, or ready for production.
A Destiny 3 would likely require years of planning, development, engine work, and staffing. If Bungie is already preparing layoffs, it suggests the studio is not currently building around that future in a visible way.
Leadership departures could add to the uncertainty
The reports also suggest that some longtime Bungie employees and leaders may leave in July, when parts of Sony’s acquisition related payouts are expected to vest. If that happens, it could deepen the feeling that Bungie is entering a new and uncertain era.
Veteran departures matter because Destiny was shaped by years of institutional knowledge. Losing people who understand the game’s systems, tools, community, and production pipeline could make any future revival harder.
This does not mean Bungie cannot rebuild or move forward. But it does make the transition away from Destiny 2 feel more severe.
Former Bungie voices have blamed leadership decisions
The discussion around Bungie’s future has also been shaped by comments from former employees. Some have argued that Destiny’s problems were not mainly caused by Marathon, but by leadership decisions and how money from Destiny was handled.
One former community manager claimed that Destiny did not receive enough of the money it generated and that Bungie’s sale to Sony was more of an emergency move than a normal expansion step. Those claims have not been fully confirmed by Bungie, but they have added to fan frustration.
For players, the concern is simple. They see a major game ending, a beloved franchise with no clear sequel, and reports of layoffs at the studio that built it.
Bungie’s next phase looks difficult
Bungie is not shutting Destiny 2 down, but the end of active development is still a major moment. The game has been one of the defining live service titles of the past decade, and many players built long term communities around it.
If the reported layoffs happen, it would mark another painful round of cuts in an industry that has already seen widespread job losses. It would also raise more questions about Bungie’s future under Sony and whether Destiny can return in a meaningful way.
For now, the situation remains based on reports rather than a formal layoff announcement from Bungie. But the direction is worrying. Destiny 2 has reached its final update, Bungie is narrowing support, and the studio may soon become much smaller as it tries to move into its next chapter.
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