Bungie’s job cuts were happening even if The Final Shape had been a big hit, it’s claimed

Bungie’s recent swathe of job cuts were going to happen regardless of the success of Destiny 2’s The Final Shape expansion, it’s claimed.

On Wednesday, Bungie announced that it will lay off 220 staff (roughly 17% of the studio), with a further 155 staff being “integrated” into Sony Interactive Entertainment.

Some players reacted with surprise to the announcement, given that Bungie’s latest release, The Final Shape for Destiny 2, was considered a much-needed return to form for the series.

However, Stephen Totilo’s Game Fille newsletter cites three separate sources who each claimed that these cuts were already planned by early 2024, long before The Final Shape was released in June.

According to Totilo’s sources, Bungie has been repeatedly missing Sony’s financial targets and has been losing money since the release of the Lightfall expansion for Destiny 2 in early 2023.

Although it was stated that Bungie would have full autonomy when it was acquired by Sony in 2022, sources told Totilo that Bungie management agreed last year that it would have to make deep cuts to prove to Sony that it was serious about managing its finances.

This led to Bungie laying off around 100 staff back in October 2023, a move that it’s claimed wasn’t enough to remedy the situation.

Further reading

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Bungie to lay off over 200 staff as it forms new studio within PlayStation

Roughly 17% of the studio's workforce will be impacted

Totilo’s sources say that another round of cuts – those made this week – was planned in early 2024, and couldn’t have been avoided even if The Final Shape had been an enormous hit.

“I think Sony overpaid for Bungie,” one source told Totilo. “I think Bungie sold things they were just not able to deliver.”

Following the layoffs, now-former Bungie staff have been taking to social media to criticise the studio, with many directing the blame at Bungie boss Pete Parsons.