Bungie layoffs spark outrage among Destiny 2 players, calls for CEO Pete Parsons to step down

On July 31, 2024, Destiny 2 studio Bungie announced the layoff of 220 employees in a move that has sparked significant backlash among the gaming community. The announcement, titled “The New Path For Bungie,” cited "rising costs of development," "industry shifts," and "enduring economic conditions" as reasons for the layoffs. Despite CEO Pete Parsons' assurance that over 850 team members remain at work on both Marathon and Destiny 2, many are calling for his resignation.

Liana Ruppert, a prominent figure in the gaming community, tweeted, "Step down, Pete." Former Bungie employee Griffith Bennett echoed this sentiment, stating, "Pete is a joke." The criticism intensified after players discovered that Parsons had spent over $2.3 million on classic cars following Bungie's acquisition by Sony in 2022. An account on the car trading website Bring A Trailer, under the name bngparsons, has reportedly spent millions on vehicles in the past few years. This revelation led to further condemnation from players and community members.

Bungie’s global community lead, known as dmg04, described the layoffs as "inexcusable," highlighting the loss of "industry-leading talent" and calling for support for those affected. dmg04 tweeted, "Accountability falling upon the workers who have pushed the needle to deliver for our community time and time again. Please maintain focus on those who’ve lost their position & income. Offer help where you can."

Other Bungie employees have also come forward to share their experiences. A player support analyst revealed that their entire team was laid off, while another former employee mentioned that the team worked tirelessly, even through weekends and holidays, only to be dismissed. The layoffs come just two months after the successful release of The Final Shape expansion, which significantly boosted Destiny 2’s player count.

This round of layoffs follows an earlier reduction in Bungie's workforce in October 2023, adding to the growing concerns within the gaming community about the company's direction and leadership.