adminBungie layoffs are reportedly being considered as the studio brings development of Destiny 2 to an end. The reported cuts come amid uncertainty about the developer’s next projects, with no immediate plans for Destiny 3 and no new internal pitches approved so far. The number of jobs potentially affected has not been confirmed.
Image credit: Bungie
Bungie layoffs and the end of Destiny 2 development
Journalist Jason Schreier has reported that Bungie is planning significant staff reductions following the decision to end development on Destiny 2. The studio announced the change 12 years after the first Destiny launched. The report says Bungie does not currently have another project ready to take over for the Destiny 2 development team.
Employees have reportedly proposed new projects, but none has received approval. Bungie also has no immediate plans to develop Destiny 3, according to sources cited in the reporting. Those sources did not specify how many positions could be at risk, so the scale and timing of any cuts remain unclear.
For players, the end of development should not automatically be read as confirmation that Destiny 2’s servers are shutting down. The report concerns ongoing development and staffing; it does not state that the game will become inaccessible. Players should look for official updates from Bungie for details about future support or service changes.
Marathon and Sony’s live-service strategy
Bungie’s latest release, Marathon, is reported to have fallen short of expectations. Alinea Analytics projected initial sales of 1.2 million units, with almost 70% of those sales on PC. These figures are estimates rather than a confirmed sales announcement from Bungie.
Sony, which owns Bungie, has scaled back its broader push into live-service games. The company’s $3.6 billion purchase of Bungie in 2022 was its largest investment in that strategy. Firewalk Studios’ Concord, another live-service title, was taken offline after two weeks.
Sony also recorded a $204.2 million impairment charge related to Destiny 2’s underperformance in its Q2 financial report, followed by an additional $565 million charge in its most recent update. These accounting charges provide context for the commercial pressures around the studio, but they do not by themselves confirm the number or timing of job cuts.
Earlier staff reductions and Destiny 2’s player base
Bungie has already experienced major workforce reductions in recent years, with hundreds of developers leaving in 2023 and 2024. Earlier reporting said that, under former CEO Pete Parsons, the company spent heavily on projects that were later cancelled, while other projects, including Marathon, remained in development for an extended period. Parsons left Bungie in 2025.
Destiny 2 was once a leading example of the live-service model, but its player count has declined over time. The most recent major increase followed the story’s conclusion in The Final Shape in June 2024. In November 2025, Bungie said it was struggling to attract new players. The narrative’s conclusion may have contributed to that challenge, as suggested by Rob Fahey.
What to watch for next
The reported Bungie layoffs are not yet accompanied by a confirmed headcount, timetable, or official breakdown of affected teams. The key details to monitor are whether Bungie approves new projects, what support it plans for Destiny 2, and whether the company provides a formal update about staffing. Until then, reported plans and estimated sales should be treated as provisional rather than final announcements.
