BUNGIE CHANGES MARATHON DIRECTOR AMID SHAKEUP, FEARS LAYOFFS

Bungie, known for its popular Destiny series, is undergoing a leadership change for its upcoming service game, Marathon. Former Valorant game director Joe Ziegler has replaced long-standing Bungie designer Christopher Barrett. Ziegler, who joined Bungie in 2022, confirmed his role as the new game director via Twitter. The change comes amid internal concerns regarding layoffs and the future of Bungie's projects following Sony's acquisition of the company. Additionally, Bungie is pushing to release both Marathon and the Destiny 2 expansion The Final Shape, with the latter considered critical to the company's financial health. The mood within Bungie has been affected by major shake-ups, including layoffs and cutbacks on employee benefits. Despite these challenges, the studio continues to strive towards its goals, placing hope in the success of The Final Shape to bridge financial gaps and support the launch of Marathon.

Joe Ziegler, the former Valorant game director, has taken over as the game director for Marathon, as Bungie undergoes a major leadership reshuffle.

Bungie is an American video game development company founded in 1991. It gained major popularity with the Halo series, which Microsoft acquired, and later with the Destiny franchise. The studio has experienced several significant transitions, including its detachment from Microsoft, partnership and later split from Activision Blizzard, and most recently, acquisition by Sony Interactive Entertainment in 2022. Bungie's upcoming game Marathon is highly anticipated as it represents a new venture beyond the well-established Destiny series, continuing Bungie's legacy in shaping the first-person shooter genre.