Layoffs hit Bellevue-based video game studio behind 'Destiny' franchise
Bungie, the Bellevue-based video game studio known for the "Destiny" franchise, has laid off an unspecified number of employees. The layoffs are part of a broader restructuring at the studio, which was acquired by Sony Interactive Entertainment in 2022. Affected employees were notified earlier this week.
Background
- Bungie is the Bellevue, Washington-based video game studio best known for creating the hit sci-fi shooter franchises **Halo** (originally a Microsoft Xbox exclusive) and **Destiny** (a massively popular online multiplayer "looter shooter").
- Destiny launched in 2014 and was published by Activision; Bungie split from Activision in 2019 to self-publish, and was acquired by Sony Interactive Entertainment in 2022 for $3.6 billion.
- The gaming industry has seen widespread layoffs since 2023, with studios owned by Sony, Microsoft, and others cutting thousands of jobs due to slowing post-pandemic growth, rising development costs, and shifting player habits.
- This context: recent layoffs at Bungie (including earlier cuts in October 2023 that affected around 100 staff) signal ongoing restructuring under Sony's ownership, raising questions about the studio's independence and the future of the Destiny franchise and its new projects.