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A new report by IGN claims that Bungie is undergoing a leadership shakeup as it attempts to release Marathon — the revival of its 90s shooter series. Marathon will return as a multiplatform live service game as Bungie expands its portfolio beyond Destiny.
Bungie replaced Marathon’s creative leadership
According to IGN, Bungie has replaced its veteran designer Christopher Barrett as Marathon game director with Joe Ziegler, who previously served in the same role on Riot’s Valorant. Following the report, Ziegler confirmed on Twitter that he’s been working on Marathon for the last nine months.
Sources have told IGN that Bungie is “pouring resources into pushing Marathon out the door,” and it’s doing so alongside prioritizing Destiny 2 expansion The Final Shape. Employees fear another round of layoffs, expressing concerns about Bungie’s finances.
The report also claims that Bungie’s new IP Matter, which was trademarked 5 years ago, has been canceled. Another project similar to Matter has also been shelved. Meanwhile, a MOBA-like game code named Gummy Bears is currently on hold.
There is internal speculation that Bungie’s leadership will resign en masse around summer 2026, which is when they receive final payouts from Sony‘s acquisition. They are allegedly rushing to get Marathon out the door before then, later handing over the reins to Sony and/or Bungie’s next leadership.
Many have pointed out that Bungie’s issues seem to be its own management. The studio has previously bumped heads with both Microsoft and Activision, with Sony being the latest parent that it seems to be at odds with.