Games

Destiny 2: Lightfall cited as ‘quality miss’ in massive layoff

BBG News

Destiny 2: Lightfall cited as ‘quality miss’ in massive layoff

As a long-time fan and follower of Bungie’s epic journey, I can’t help but feel a mix of emotions upon hearing about the recent layoffs affecting 220 talented individuals within the company. Having spent countless hours immersed in the rich, expansive universe of Destiny 2, I’ve come to appreciate not just the game, but also the dedicated team behind it.

220 employees at the development studio for Destiny 2, Bungie, are being let go as announced by CEO Pete Parsons on their official website this week. With over 1,000 staff members previously working on Destiny 2, its upcoming title Marathon, and various other projects, the company is now reducing its workforce to approximately 850. According to Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier, this reduction will see 220 employees terminated, 155 transferred to Sony Interactive Entertainment, and around 75 moving to a newly established studio.

“In his statement, Parsons explained that these actions would impact all tiers of the company, from executive and top-level positions down to many other roles. He acknowledged that today is a challenging and emotional day, particularly for those leaving the company, who have all contributed significantly to Bungie. The company aims to provide them with the highest level of compassion and respect. For anyone impacted by this workforce reduction, Bungie will offer a generous severance package that includes severance pay, bonus, and health coverage.”

Parsons provided multiple explanations for the job cuts, including escalating development costs, changes within the industry, and persistent economic issues. Additionally, he mentioned a “quality issue” with Destiny 2’s expansion called Lightfall. He also stated that Bungie made extensive efforts to minimize layoffs.

As a gamer, I’m excited to share that Sony Interactive Entertainment, following some recent changes, will be recruiting team members to establish a fresh studio. The purpose? To breathe life into an electrifying action game set in a never-seen-before science-fantasy universe. Previously, the incubation program we were part of seemed to stretch our creative abilities beyond their limits and required us to expand our support structures more swiftly than we could realistically manage, given our main projects in development – Destiny and Marathon.

Bungie’s most recent expansion for Destiny 2, titled The Final Shape, was unveiled on June 4, 2023, and received widespread acclaim. However, the subsequent expansion, Lightfall, which was launched in February 2023, fell short of Bungie’s projected earnings by approximately 45%, leading to a decrease in player retention as reported by Bloomberg in October 2023. Following this, Bungie let go of around 100 employees. Not long after, the company’s CEO, Parsons, addressed players directly on the Bungie website, acknowledging that trust has been lost: “We understand we have disappointed you. Destiny needs to captivate and enthrall. We haven’t done this consistently, but that will change.”

Despite being labeled a “quality miss” by Parsons, Lightfall significantly contributed to Destiny 2‘s peak concurrent player count on Steam during its release – a figure that was almost equaled with the debut of The Final Shape.

Read More

2024-07-31 20:18

Previous post AEW does not need Shane McMahon in any form
Next post First trailer for Doctor Who star’s new movie as it confirms UK release date