Bungie is shrinking again, and this round of cuts reaches across Destiny 2, Marathon, and Sony Interactive Entertainment. Not exactly the kind of fireteam anyone hoped to queue into.
Sony’s latest move at Bungie has brought another major round of layoffs to the studio behind Destiny, Marathon, and, once upon a very shiny time, Halo. The cuts were detailed in an internal message from Studio Business Group CEO Herman Hulst, who said the company had spent months reviewing Bungie’s staffing needs, priorities, and role inside Sony’s wider PlayStation strategy.
The short version: Bungie is being reorganized for a smaller future. The longer version is more complicated, more painful, and comes with the kind of corporate phrasing that makes “we tried other options” sound like a raid wipe screen with extra bullet points.
Bungie Layoffs Hit Destiny 2, Marathon, and SIE Staff
According to Hulst’s message, the layoffs affect a “significant” number of people. The exact figure has not been publicly confirmed, but the reductions reportedly include most of the remaining Destiny team, some developers working on Marathon, and employees at Sony Interactive Entertainment.
Hulst said Sony and Bungie leadership looked at resource needs, development priorities, and possible alternatives before deciding that a reduction in force was necessary. He also said Sony will focus on transition support for affected staff. That is the right thing to say, of course, though it does not make the news any less rough for the people suddenly updating résumés instead of patch notes.
Bungie also addressed the layoffs publicly, saying Destiny 2 “fell short of expectations” over the past several years. After the game’s final content update, and with future projects still in early incubation, Bungie said it could not keep operating at its previous size.
Destiny 2’s Final Update Changed the Math
Destiny 2 received its final update on June 9, 2026, closing the book on one of gaming’s most influential live-service runs. For a game that helped define the modern loot treadmill, that is a huge shift. The Tower may still be standing, but the development pipeline behind it has clearly changed.
Fans have not been shy about asking for Destiny 3. Some even rallied around petitions calling for Bungie to move forward with a proper sequel. So far, though, there is no official sign that Destiny 3 is in active development. If Bungie is hiding it, it is doing so with the stealth of a Hunter who remembered to spec correctly.
Justin Truman Reportedly Leaves Bungie After the Cuts
The shake-up also includes a major leadership change. Bungie studio head Justin Truman reportedly left the company after the layoffs. Truman had taken on the studio head role in August 2025 and had been tied to the Destiny team for well over a decade.
That is not a tiny footnote. It is the kind of departure that makes players, developers, and industry watchers wonder what shape Bungie’s next era will actually take. When the captain leaves while the ship is being rebuilt, everyone starts checking where the lifeboats are stored.
Marathon Is Still Carrying Bungie’s Torch
For now, Marathon appears to be Bungie’s big active bet. Hulst described the extraction shooter as an important part of Sony’s portfolio and said the company will continue supporting the team as it builds on Seasons 1 and 2. Translation: the green-and-black sci-fi sprint is not getting shoved out the airlock today.
Bungie has been experimenting quickly with Marathon, including horror-leaning content like Night Marsh and more PvE-focused modes. Vault Breaker is scheduled for July 21, giving runners a new trip into the Cryo Archive with a progression system that asks players to power up before cracking open the final vault. Because apparently “just survive” was not spicy enough.
Still, Marathon has a lot to prove. It is now carrying a heavy banner for a studio that spent years being synonymous with Destiny. If the game finds its footing, it could give Bungie the reset it badly needs. If not, Sony may be in for another uncomfortable strategy meeting with too many charts and not enough snacks.
What Comes Next for Bungie?
Bungie says future projects are in early incubation, and Hulst’s message suggested there may be more than one idea bubbling away behind the scenes. That is encouraging, but early incubation can mean anything from “cool prototype” to “a whiteboard with one dramatic noun on it.”
The studio’s next chapter likely will not become clear until 2027 or later, especially with the fall release calendar packed with big-name games competing for attention. Bungie may need time, quiet, and a very strong cup of coffee to figure out what it wants to be after Destiny 2.
For players, the big question is whether Bungie returns to Destiny, pushes Marathon into a stronger second act, or builds something entirely new. For the people affected by these layoffs, the priority is much more immediate: landing safely in the next stage of their careers. The games industry loves a comeback story, but it should never forget the humans who make those stories possible.