Bungie Faces Workforce Reductions

Article Key Points

Bungie, a Sony subsidiary, has reportedly laid off employees, making it the fourth studio under Sony to experience workforce cutbacks in October.

There has been a rise in layoffs and studio closures within the gaming industry due to companies citing a decline in the global economy. While Bungie's recent layoffs have not been formally acknowledged, it is speculated that they may be related to delays in their upcoming games, as they are still actively recruiting for other roles.

Bungie has recently experienced layoffs, according to terminated staff members. This makes them the fourth Sony subsidiary to reduce their workforce since the beginning of October. Naughty Dog was the first to downsize their quality assurance team a few weeks ago, which started this trend. Layoffs have always been common in the gaming industry due to the cyclical nature of game development, leading to redundancies. However, there has been an increase in these cutbacks in 2023, along with occasional studio closures and project cancellations. Some companies, like Embracer Group, attribute these recent layoffs to a declining global economy. Sony, on the other hand, has been discreet about their downsizing efforts, offering little explanation to the public.

Bungie, a Sony subsidiary, has been hit with layoffs, according to social media posts from terminated employees. The exact scale of the cutbacks is unknown as the studio has not yet officially confirmed them. Prior to the layoffs in late October, Bungie had around 1,600 employees based on LinkedIn data. Bloomberg's Jason Schreier confirmed the cutbacks and obtained an internal memo from Bungie's CEO promising a discussion about the situation at a company meeting on October 30.

This recent development highlights the troubled month that Sony subsidiaries have been facing. In addition to the layoffs at Naughty Dog, both Visual Arts and Media Molecule, PlayStation studios, have also been affected by job cuts. Media Molecule reduced its headcount to 115 after eliminating approximately 20 positions, while the extent of the layoffs at Visual Arts is unclear.

Sony Studios Hit With Layoffs in October 2023

Naughty Dog

Visual Arts

Media Molecule

Bungie

The layoffs at Bungie, the developer of the Destiny series, have come shortly before the two-year anniversary of Sony's acquisition of the company. It is unclear whether Sony made the decision to downsize the workforce. However, even if Bungie had remained independent, there is a possibility that layoffs would still have occurred. This is evident from the fact that several successful indie developers, including CD Projekt Red and Team17, as well as larger companies like THQ Nordic, Take-Two Interactive, Ubisoft, and Electronic Arts, have also announced workforce reductions in recent months.

Bungie is currently in the process of rebooting its sci-fi FPS series Marathon. Alongside this, the company is also developing a team-based action game that has yet to be officially announced. Recent layoffs do not seem to have any impact on these projects, especially considering Bungie's active recruitment efforts. The company is currently seeking to fill nearly two dozen positions in various departments such as art, engineering, game design, and narrative. For more information, refer to Bungie's official careers page.

Destiny 2

Bungie's Destiny 2, an online FPS, seamlessly merges both single-player and multiplayer components. Since its initial release in 2017, this ever-evolving shooter game has garnered a dedicated and loyal fanbase.

Check it out on the Playstation Store.

Editor's P/S

1. Bungie's layoffs are a sign of the times in the gaming industry. The global economy is slowing down, and the gaming industry is not immune. Companies are cutting costs where they can, and unfortunately, that means layoffs. It's a tough time for the gaming industry, but I'm confident that it will bounce back.

2. I'm particularly concerned about the layoffs at Bungie because I'm a big fan of their games. I've been playing Destiny 2 for years, and I'm really excited about the upcoming expansion, Lightfall. I'm worried that the layoffs will impact the development of Lightfall, but I'm hopeful that Bungie will be able to weather the storm and deliver a great game.