Ex-Bungie developers are sharing concerns about the studio’s internal struggles, which appear to stem from leadership and organizational issues that emerged after Sony acquired the company. Additionally, allegations suggest that a former HR employee may have hidden harassment complaints to benefit themselves during their departure from Bungie.
While Bungie has faced internal challenges before, recent revelations come from Destin Legarie, who released a YouTube video based on interviews with former Bungie staff. Their accounts paint a grim picture of a studio that has drifted far from its earlier days, when it was beloved by fans worldwide for its groundbreaking games.
In the video, former employees did not name individuals but criticized leadership and management practices, describing a culture that has shifted away from its original values.
These issues came to light after Bungie was accused of using another artist’s work without proper credit for the fourth time in recent years, raising questions about the studio’s priorities.
“The problems at Bungie are rooted in greed,” one former developer told Legarie. Another added, “Bungie’s issues arise from a lack of empathy for players, distant leadership, and a culture focused solely on profits.”
Another developer noted, “The focus shifted from ‘studio,’ ‘games,’ and ‘players’ to ‘company,’ ‘product,’ and ‘customers’ after the Sony acquisition,” indicating a change in priorities from creating enjoyable experiences to maximizing revenue.
Bungie has faced criticism over internal problems and layoffs for several years, which have likely hurt employee morale. The video suggests that leadership may be to blame, but Legarie points out that responsibility ultimately falls on CEO Pete Parsons.
It’s deeply saddening that the studio behind Halo and Destiny, two iconic franchises, is facing such struggles and could potentially collapse under the weight of its alleged greedy and disconnected leadership. Bungie’s success was built on making games that players wanted, and losing sight of that could spell disaster.