In a recent report, it has been revealed that Bungie, the renowned creator of Halo and Destiny, has been hit by a wave of layoffs. This is not the first time the company has faced layoffs in the current economic climate, but this particular round has had a significant impact. As a result, the release of Destiny 2's The Final Shape DLC and Marathon, the highly anticipated extraction shooter, has been delayed.
While the exact number of staff affected by the layoffs is still unknown, early reports suggest that dozens of people have been let go. The departures include some high-level employees, and the news of these redundancies has caused shockwaves across social media platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter.
The gaming and esports industries have been hit hard by the global economic downturn, with tens of thousands of people losing their jobs this year. Companies are struggling to adapt to the increasingly challenging conditions, and the ripple effect of layoffs is felt not only by the employees but also by the companies they go on to join.
In response to the layoffs, Bungie's CEO, Pete Parsons, issued a statement. However, some critics have criticized his response as 'tone deaf'. The impact of the layoffs on the company's social teams is evident, but the developers have not been affected at this time.
The delay in the release of Marathon, the futuristic extraction shooter, and The Final Shape DLC for Destiny 2 is a direct result of the layoffs. Marathon is now expected to be released in 2025, while The Final Shape DLC has been pushed back to mid-2024. It is worth noting that Sony has invested $1.2 billion in 'employee retention' to prevent Destiny 2 developers from leaving Bungie.
While the delays may be the most immediate impact of the layoffs, it is tragic that another company has had to resort to cutting employees to survive. The core development teams at Bungie remain intact, which should minimize the impact on the rollout of games and expansions. However, the larger issue at hand is the need for companies to prioritize the well-being of their employees.
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