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Diabierna, 3 November 2023 AWEMainta GAMING 35
The Final Shape and Bungie Layoffs:
What Does it Mean for the Future of Destiny 2?
It is also possible that the layoffs are related to the delay of
The Final Shape. Developing a live-service game like Destiny
2 is a complex and expensive process, and it is possible that
Bungie needs to reduce its workforce to save money.
Another factor is that the staff were told they were projected
to miss revenue targets by 45%. That is a vast number, but
not surprising because many players were disappointed
with the release of Lightfall and simply stopped playing after
Season of Defiance, Destiny 2’s first seasonal content for
the Lighfall expansion.
ON October 30, 2023, news broke that Bungie Studio, the
developer of the popular first-person shooter Destiny 2,
had laid off an unspecified number of employees. This news
came just days after Bungie announced that the expansion
pack The Final Shape, originally scheduled to be released in
February 2024, had been delayed until June 2024.
Another reason could be their announcement about
the reboot of Bungie’s earlier game, before Halo, called
Marathon. Developing a new game next to Destiny can have
a huge impact financially. So this can be the reason for the
sudden layoffs and also a reason for the 3-month delay.
We believe it’s a combination of all the reasons mentioned
above. But whatever the reason for the layoffs, they are sure
to have a significant impact on Bungie and Destiny 2. It is
still being determined how the layoffs will affect the devel-
opment of The Final Shape or how they will impact the game
in the long term.
Bungie CEO Pete Parsons confirmed the layoffs on Twitter,
stating that it was a “sad day” for the studio. He did not However, Bungie has a long history of overcoming challenges.
provide any specific reasons for the layoffs. Still, he said The studio has been through several rounds of layoffs, and
they were necessary to “ensure that we are well-positioned it has always managed to come out stronger. Bungie will
to deliver on our ambitious plans for the future.” About 8% likely weather this storm, and Destiny 2 will continue to be a
of the entire team at Bungie was fired, making it about 100 successful game for many years.
people who were laid off.
While Bungie has not provided any specific details about
the layoffs, they are likely related to the company’s recent
acquisition by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Sony has
been known to make layoffs at its acquired studios, and the
company may be looking to streamline Bungie’s operations
to make it more efficient.
