Ex-Destiny 2 Developers Call Bungie a “Toxic and Dysfunctional” Workplace
In recent years, Bungie has faced a series of setbacks that have now led to major layoffs. While many saw the situation coming, it remains a sad moment for the studio.
Marathon has not generated the level of attention Bungie had hoped for. At the same time, Destiny 2, once the company’s flagship title, has seen its content support come to an end.
The big question is how much of the blame for Bungie’s current problems falls on the company itself. Former employees have strongly criticized both the studio and its leadership.
Former Destiny 2 Developers Criticize Bungie Leadership
As part of its coverage of the game’s farewell, Aftermath gathered comments from former Destiny 2 developers. Not all of them had positive things to say.
Michael Zenke, a writer and narrative lead at Bungie from 2015 to 2017, spoke warmly about his former colleagues, however, his view of the studio itself was very different.
He said, “Working at Bungie was the most toxic, dysfunctional experience of my professional life. But the incredible people that I got the chance to work with were some of the best in the world at what they do, and I consider all of them friends to this day.”
A similar opinion came from Uriah Belleto, who worked in quality assurance from 2017 to 2024. He criticized Bungie’s leadership, saying, “As sad as it is to say, it felt like at some point the people in charge forgot that people play games for fun. They didn’t understand that people would play Destiny just to dress up their character, more or less.”
The comments support previous reports that raised concerns about Bungie’s workplace culture. Over the years, the company has faced accusations including layoffs, crunch, sexism and discrimination.
In related news, Valve veteran Chet Faliszek is worried about Bungie’s future after Destiny 2’s final update, claiming Sony no longer “cares” about the studio following Marathon’s struggles.
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