Bungie
Bungie business and news from across the web.
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Rockstar Games staff push for union recognition ahead of GTA VI launch
Employees at Rockstar Games are seeking official union recognition through the IWGB Game Workers Union ahead of the Grand Theft Auto VI launch. This effort follows alleged dismissals of union members in October 2025, which the union is challenging as union-busting. Union recognition would provide formal collective bargaining rights and workplace protections for employees.
Destiny 2 Is Finished – and Now More Appealing Than Ever
Destiny 2 is now considered finished as a live-service game, presenting a complete Bungie first-person shooter experience with a defined endpoint. Players can now enjoy the game without concerns about future content updates altering their established builds.
PlayStation – and The Gaming Industry – Just Doesn’t Learn With Live-Service
Despite numerous high-profile failures and significant layoffs within studios like Bungie and Quantic Dream, Sony Interactive Entertainment, led by Hideaki Nishino, remains committed to pursuing live-service games. This strategy is questioned due to past setbacks and the company's historical strength in single-player titles, with concerns that chasing trends is leading to wasted investment and development resources.
PlayStation CEO says company wants to "revitalise" live-service games
Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Hideaki Nishino expressed a desire to "revitalize" the live-service game market with both first-party and third-party content, emphasizing the importance of continuous updates. He mentioned the upcoming release of their own live-service title, Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls, and acknowledged the challenges in the genre. This comes after recent layoffs at Bungie and the cancellation of several PlayStation live-service projects, with Helldivers 2 being a notable success.
Games Inbox: Is GTA 6 being hyped too much?
Readers discuss whether Grand Theft Auto 6 is receiving excessive hype, with some questioning the series' controls and the trend towards digital-only releases. The conversation also touches on rising console prices, the impact of AI on the industry, and the potential for remakes like The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
Sony Interactive Entertainment president and CEO hasn't given up on live-service games just yet
Despite numerous cancellations and underperforming titles, Sony Interactive Entertainment president Hideaki Nishino has reaffirmed the company's commitment to live-service games. Nishino stated that the genre is still relatively new and that Sony wants to continue taking on challenges within it, aiming to revitalize the market with both first-party and third-party content. Sony plans to release its own live-service title, Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls, this year.
Something for the Weekend – 27/06/26
This week's gaming news was dominated by Grand Theft Auto 6, with pre-orders going live and details about the Ultimate Edition and digital-only physical copies revealed. Other news includes Bungie layoffs, SteamOS availability on PCs, and price increases for Xbox Series consoles. Several games received reviews, including Zero Parades: For Dead Spies and Gothic 1 Remake, while previews were offered for Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy.
Bungie’s Recent Layoffs Affect 292 Employees in Washington State
Bungie has laid off 292 employees in Washington State, with their last day being July 9. The layoffs impact various departments, including art, engineering, and production, with some Destiny 2 developers affected. The news comes from a report citing a notice to the Washington State Employment Security Department from Sony.
Halo 3's final mission could have been a flying banshee scene inspired by Star Wars: Return of the Jedi
Halo 3's final mission, the Warthog Run, was almost a flying sequence inspired by Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. Campaign design lead Robert Stokes revealed that some developers pushed for a banshee escape scene instead of the iconic Warthog Run. Ultimately, the developers opted for the Warthog Run, which paid homage to the original Halo: Combat Evolved.
Destiny 2’s last planned patch delayed after colossal Bungie layoffs, even as pervasive glitches remain
The final planned patch for Destiny 2 has been delayed following significant layoffs at developer Bungie. This delay comes as the game continues to suffer from persistent glitches. The article highlights the impact of these workforce reductions on the game's ongoing development and support.
Cyberpunk 2 lead says "some days I feel our industry is imploding" as Destiny 2 studio Bungie is hit with mass layoffs: "Teams and game projects are getting slaughtered"
Cyberpunk 2077 associate game director Paweł Sasko expressed concern over the state of the video game industry, stating it feels like it's "imploding" due to frequent layoffs and project cancellations. This sentiment comes as Bungie, the studio behind Destiny 2, experienced significant layoffs, with other studios like Xbox Game Studios and Electronic Arts also reportedly cutting staff. CD Projekt Red, which itself had layoffs in 2023, is actively hiring for projects including The Witcher 4 and a new IP.
Comings and Goings
Bungie has conducted layoffs affecting nearly 300 employees at its Washington State office. In related news, Fateless Games has hired a veteran from Raid: Shadow Legends.
Looks like there's no firm favourite for 2026's GOTY just yet, though there are two standouts
As 2026 progresses, the race for Game of the Year is still wide open, with no clear frontrunner among players. Resident Evil Requiem and Crimson Desert are currently the top two contenders based on a reader poll, though many participants felt none of the provided options were their definitive choice. The article highlights various other games receiving votes, including 007 First Light, Slay the Spire 2, and Marathon.
Destiny 2 layoffs have affected around 300 workers so far and the studio head is stepping down
Bungie, the developer of Destiny 2, has laid off approximately 292 workers in Washington state, with more potential cuts affecting its 850 employees. Studio head Justin Truman is also stepping down from his position. These layoffs impact staff working on Destiny 2 and the upcoming Marathon game.
Will Destiny 2 servers shut down?
Concerns have arisen about the potential shutdown of Destiny 2 servers following recent layoff news at Bungie and Sony's decision to stop supporting the game. However, neither Sony nor Bungie has made an official statement, and given the continued revenue potential and the precedent set by the original Destiny's active servers, a shutdown appears unlikely in the near future.
"We wanted more than anything to make you smile": Destiny 2 devs react to layoffs as ex-Bungie staff call out…
Bungie has conducted a significant round of layoffs, impacting numerous developers, including members of the Destiny 2 VFX team. Former employees and affected staff have shared their experiences on social media, with some criticizing leadership and calling for reflection from Sony. The layoffs follow the disappointing reception of Marathon and raise questions about the studio's future.
Hundreds affected in Bungie layoffs as “most of the Destiny team” departs
Bungie has undergone significant layoffs, affecting "most of the Destiny team" and some members of the Marathon development team. Studio co-founder Jason Jones was laid off, and studio head Justin Truman is stepping down. Sony confirmed 292 workers are impacted in Washington state, with the total number likely higher due to remote employees and contractors.
True Scale of Bungie Layoffs Revealed, With Nearly 300 Cut From Its Bellevue, Washington Headquarters Alone
Bungie announced layoffs affecting nearly 300 employees at its Bellevue, Washington headquarters. This news follows previous announcements of job cuts within the company.
Sony cuts 292 jobs at Destiny maker Bungie
Sony Interactive Entertainment is laying off 292 employees at its subsidiary Bungie, impacting most of the Destiny 2 team and some members of the Marathon team. Studio Business Group CEO Hermen Hulst stated the decision was made after reviewing the studio's long-term direction and priorities. This news follows a previous report of planned significant staff cuts and a substantial write-down of Bungie's acquisition value by Sony.
Uppgifter: hälften av Bungies anställda får gå
Bungie is undergoing significant layoffs, reportedly affecting over 400 employees, which is approximately half of its workforce. The cuts include a majority of the Destiny team, some members of the Marathon team, and Sony employees who supported Bungie. Sony is attempting to find new roles for affected staff.
