Bungie, the renowned developer behind Destiny, has announced a significant round of layoffs, impacting approximately 17% of its workforce, or around 220 employees. This development follows the recent launch of Destiny 2: The Final Shape and reflects broader industry challenges and strategic shifts within the company.
The Layoffs and Their Impact
In a blog post, Bungie executive Pete Parsons explained that the layoffs are a response to rising development costs, industry shifts, and prevailing economic conditions. "We need to make substantial changes to our cost structure and focus development efforts entirely on Destiny and Marathon," Parsons stated. The layoffs are affecting employees at every level, including executive and senior leader positions.
Those affected by the layoffs will receive a generous package, including severance pay, a bonus, and health coverage for a period of time. Parsons emphasized that these measures are part of Bungie's efforts to support their employees during this transition.
Deepening Integration with Sony
As part of this strategic shift, Bungie is deepening its integration with its parent company, Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE). Approximately 12% of Bungie's remaining workforce will transition to internal positions within SIE over the next few quarters. This move is designed to streamline operations and focus on Bungie's core projects.
New Sci-Fi Game Shifted to PlayStation
In addition to the layoffs, Bungie announced a new sci-fi game that will no longer be developed internally. Instead, this game will be spun out to form a new studio within PlayStation. Parsons described the project as an action game set in a brand-new "science-fantasy" universe. This decision aligns with Bungie's aim to concentrate its resources on Destiny and Marathon while leveraging PlayStation's capabilities for other projects.