Sony Could Potentially Compromise Bungie's Independence

  • 08-12-2023 |
  • Taylor Jones

Currently, Bungie is enduring a period of significant upheaval. The studio behind Destiny has experienced staff reductions and intense scrutiny, as well as postponing its forthcoming major expansion to the summer of 2024. This series of events has led Bungie to concede that it has recently seen a decline in trust from its community, and there are indications that the repercussions may extend even further.

A recent detailed analysis by IGN suggests that Bungie's autonomy within the Sony Interactive Entertainment and PlayStation Studios network is at risk. The studio's independent status is contingent on meeting certain financial benchmarks; however, discussions between Sony and Bungie executives imply that due to Destiny 2's faltering success and delays in content releases, Bungie could be in danger of losing its independent board and consequently being more tightly integrated with SIE.

The article also highlights a considerable morale crisis at Bungie, where some staff members describe the atmosphere as "soul-crushing." Reports indicate that in the lead-up to widespread job cuts, some personnel perceived Bungie management as being apathetic or even antagonistic.

Adding to these challenges, it was revealed that Destiny's Quality Assurance (QA) team was demeaned as "non-developers" and faced growing antagonism from both team leaders and company executives. This hostility included severe disciplinary measures for what appeared to be minor infractions.

To conclude the report, an anonymous employee shared insights into the internal climate at Bungie, revealing a pervasive "us versus them" sentiment between rank-and-file workers and upper management. The source underscored that trust within the company had significantly deteriorated.