Bungie
Bungie business and news from across the web.
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Marathon Season 2: Nightfall will begin on June 2nd
Bungie announced that Marathon Season 2, titled Nightfall, will begin on June 2nd, bringing a seasonal reset for player levels and faction progress. The update includes a new zone, Runner Shell, weapons, customization options, and quality-of-life improvements. Preparations for the season end include guaranteed key drops and increased enemy presence.
Bit Bot Expands Leadership with AAA Veterans, Appoints Halo's Frank O’Connor as Creative Director
Multimedia studio Bit Bot has expanded its leadership team, appointing Frank O'Connor, formerly of Halo fame, as Creative Director and Brian Ullrich as Studio General Manager. The studio aims to accelerate original IP development across games, film, comics, and merchandise, bringing in AAA veterans to bolster its creative and production capabilities.
Marathon's First Wipe Is Just A Few Weeks Away, Here's What Carries Over
Bungie announced that Marathon's first seasonal wipe will occur on June 2, coinciding with the start of Season 2. This wipe will reset runner and ranked levels, faction levels, currencies, and vault items. While some progression elements and cosmetics will carry over, players can expect various adjustments and new content in the upcoming season, including new threats and balance changes.
Buffs, Nerfs, and Bugs
An exploit in the Marathon raid has led to 'heinous' griefing on the Cryo Archive. The article discusses the impact of these exploits on the game's community and player experience.
Marathon Season 2: NIGHTFALL Starts June 2nd, Full Reveal Coming May 25th
Bungie's Marathon will launch its second season, NIGHTFALL, on June 2nd, featuring new content including a Runner Shell, weapons, and a nighttime version of the Dire Marsh map. A full reveal is scheduled for May 25th. The update also includes changes to map events, Warden drops, and increased Faction EXP.
Marathon reconsiders bug abuse approach after player uses Cryo Archive exploit to butcher an entire team
Bungie is reviewing its policy on punishing players for exploiting game bugs following an incident in Marathon where a player used an out-of-bounds exploit on the Cryo Archive map to eliminate an entire squad. While the studio plans to patch the exploit and compensate affected players, they are reassessing their stance on taking action against players who leverage bugs, especially those that negatively impact others and compromise competitive integrity.
Marathon Review
Bungie's reboot of its 90s franchise, Marathon, is an extraction shooter that struggles to stand out in a crowded genre. While the gunplay is solid and reminiscent of Destiny, the game's narrative is poorly integrated, and its visual aesthetic, particularly the neon colors and blocky gear design, is an acquired taste. Server issues and a lack of map variety also detract from the experience, making it unlikely to be a memorable title for long.
Marathon risks watering down its best feature if it keeps listening to FPS fans
This article discusses how Bungie's new extraction shooter, Marathon, risks losing its unique identity by catering too much to player demands for simpler menu navigation and clearer icons. The author argues that the game's commitment to diegetic storytelling and frictional design, inspired by Soulslike titles, is its strongest selling point and should not be watered down.
MMO Week in Review: The big rebranding of CCP Games
CCP Games, the studio behind EVE Online, has rebranded to Fenris Creations and announced a partnership with Google DeepMind for AI development. This news comes amidst other MMO updates including Guild Wars 2's new zone, Conan Exiles' Enhanced version, and acquisitions like Daybreak buying Cold Iron Studios.
The Least Toxic FPS Games for Adults (2026 Edition) | TAG
This guide ranks first-person shooter games based on their low toxicity for adult players, evaluating community culture, moderation, mode selection, and adult playability. Games like Deep Rock Galactic and Warframe excel due to their co-op PvE design, while titles like Rainbow Six Siege are included for their active moderation efforts. The article emphasizes that co-op PvE or games with self-selecting, devoted playerbases generally offer the least toxic multiplayer experiences.
Sony says it remains committed to Marathon despite disappointing returns on massive Bungie investment
Sony's recent earnings report revealed a significant $765 million impairment loss on its $3.7 billion acquisition of Bungie, indicating the studio's portfolio has not met expectations. Despite disappointing financial returns, Sony remains committed to Bungie's extraction shooter Marathon due to strong player reception and engagement metrics, with plans for additional content and gameplay improvements. Destiny 2's recent update has been indefinitely postponed.
Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered used PlayStation's new AI animation tool, and Naughty Dog and San Diego Studio are…
Sony Interactive Entertainment is leveraging Artificial Intelligence as a tool to enhance game development and player experience, with teams at Naughty Dog and San Diego Studio already utilizing AI animation tools in titles like Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered. CEO Hideaki Nishino highlighted AI's role in improving production efficiency and player immersion, also mentioning the PS5 Pro's machine learning upscaling technology.
Sony confirms $765M in ‘impairment losses’ against Bungie in its 2025 fiscal year report
Sony reported significant "impairment losses" of approximately $765 million against Bungie's intangible assets in its fiscal year 2025 report. Despite these losses, Sony's gaming sales remained flat, with expectations of steady double-digit profit growth in fiscal year 2026. This follows Sony's $3.6 billion acquisition of Bungie in 2022, with the studio facing increasing financial pressure and scrutiny.
Is Bungie Sony's Worst Ever Acquisition After $765 Million Write-Down?
Sony has reported a $765 million impairment loss on its acquisition of Bungie, significantly devaluing the developer since its $3.6 billion purchase in 2022. This write-down, partly due to the underperformance of games like Marathon and Destiny 2's declining player base, raises questions about whether Bungie is Sony's worst acquisition. The article also touches on Sony's broader struggles with live service games and other studio acquisitions.
Destiny 2 players pick out a grave as Bungie confirms it's got nothing to say and Sony admits it's down $765 million on the studio: "There's no way this game keeps getting DLC"
Sony reported a $765 million impairment loss on its acquisition of Bungie, while the studio admitted to having no significant updates. Destiny 2 is experiencing declining player counts and criticism for its recent 'Edge of Fate' expansion, and the new game Marathon is also struggling to retain players. Bungie's future trajectory under Sony is uncertain, with potential for executive changes and further layoffs amidst broader industry difficulties.
Business and Finance
Sony reported a significant $560 million loss related to its acquisition of Bungie, with the game Marathon experiencing development stalls. Separately, GameStop's CEO faced suspension from eBay for selling items on the platform to fund his eBay purchases.
Sony Is Still Figuring Out the PS6 as PS5 Sales Slow and Bungie Weighs on the Bottom Line
Sony's latest financial report reveals that the company has not yet decided on the launch timing or pricing for the PlayStation 6, citing component costs and supply as major factors. PS5 sales have slowed, contributing to a significant impairment loss related to Bungie's underperformance, particularly with the game Marathon.
PlayStation records $765m impairment loss from Bungie as operating income falls 41.6% in Q4
Sony reported a $765 million impairment loss related to Bungie due to underperforming titles like Destiny 2 and Marathon. The company's Games and Network Services segment saw a 41.6% decline in Q4 operating income, despite overall full-year operating income rising 12%. PlayStation 5 unit sales also decreased year-over-year.
Sony Reveals $766m Bungie Writedown in Latest Financial Results
Sony reported a significant $766 million write-down related to its acquisition of Bungie in its fiscal year 2025 results. Despite the financial loss, Sony plans to continue supporting Bungie's live-service title Marathon, citing strong user engagement metrics. The company anticipates a drop in hardware sales for the upcoming fiscal year but expects an increase in first-party game sales, including upcoming titles like Saros and Marvel's Wolverine.
Sony records a $766 million impairment loss against Bungie for the 2025 financial year, a 1-2 punch of Destiny 2 and Marathon failing to meet its expectations
Sony recorded a significant impairment loss of $766 million against Bungie for the 2025 financial year, primarily due to Destiny 2 and the newly released Marathon failing to meet sales and engagement expectations. This follows a previous impairment loss in Q2 FY2025, bringing the total to over $766 million. Despite this, Sony's overall gaming and network services sales were flat, with operating income increasing by 12%.
