Bungie tells Destiny fans ‘we know we’ve lost your trust’, amid layoffs and delay reports

Bungie has addressed its community for the first time since news earlier this week that it was laying off as many as 100 employees.

It was confirmed on Monday that Bungie was the latest Sony Interactive Entertainment studio to be hit with layoffs.

Bloomberg later claimed that roughly 8% of the studio’s workforce was affected and that the upcoming Destiny expansion, The Final Shape, as well as shooter Marathon, had been internally delayed.

Now, writing on its website, Bungie has called this week “one of the most difficult… in our studio’s history” and acknowledged that it’s “lost a lot of [players’] trust” with its recent Destiny content.

While it did not confirm a delay to The Final Shape, it strongly emphasized the importance of the project, stating that it wants the expansion to be among “the best games we’ve ever made”.

“This has been one of the most difficult weeks in our studio’s history, as we’ve parted ways with people we respect and admire,” it wrote. “We’ve spent this week supporting one another, including those who are at the studio, as well as friends and colleagues who no longer are.

“We want to acknowledge the feedback and concerns you have about Lightfall and recent Seasons, as well as your responses to the reveal of The Final Shape. We know we have lost a lot of your trust. Destiny needs to surprise and delight. We haven’t done this enough and that’s going to change.”

The statement continued: “To us the path forward is clear: We need to make The Final Shape an unforgettable Destiny experience.

“We want to build something that will be regarded alongside the best games we’ve ever made – a fitting culmination that honors the journey we’ve been on together for the past ten years. Forsaken, The Witch Queen, and The Taken King – these are the standard bearers we aim to live up to.

“We are intensely focused on exceeding your expectations for The Final Shape. Destiny 2 has more than 650 dedicated teammates pouring all their energy and expertise into delivering this epic moment and its subsequent Episodes.”

The company signed off by claiming that “in the weeks ahead, you’ll be hearing more from us about what’s next on the short-term horizon,” beginning with Destiny’s next Season in late November.

“Afterwards, we’ll begin to unpack our team’s bigger, bolder, and brighter vision for The Final Shape, as well as the bridge we plan to build to take us all out of this Darkness and into the Light,” it said.

According to Bloomberg, Bungie’s staff were warned in a meeting last month that revenue was running at around 45% below what was being projected, which chief executive officer Pete Parsons reportedly attributed to poor player retention for Destiny 2.

It’s claimed that staff were told the game’s next expansion, The Final Shape, was being delayed from February 2024 to June, to give staff more time to improve it.

Parsons is also said to have told staff that salary and hiring freezes would be taking place, but two weeks later – on Monday – around 100 staff were then told they were being laid off.