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What just happened? It's a sad case of another day, another round of mass layoffs at a game studio. On this occasion, Destiny developer Bungie has announced it is letting go of 220 employees, or 17% of its workforce. CEO Pete Parsons said the eliminations were due to "financial challenges," which isn't going down well, especially after it was discovered he may have spent over $2.4 million on classic cars after Sony acquired the company, and continued buying them even after the previous layoffs.
Bungie blames the job eliminations on "rising costs of development and industry shifts as well as enduring economic conditions." The Sony subsidiary says it needs to make substantial changes to its cost structure and focus development efforts entirely on Destiny and Marathon.
The cuts will impact every level of the company, including executives and senior leader roles – but not Parsons, obviously.
– Bungie (@Bungie) July 31, 2024This morning, we shared an important update with the Bungie team on the difficult decision to eliminate 220 roles at Bungie.
You can read the full statement below.https://t.co/FVkWNSWDtZ
In what appears to be a way of reducing the number of people being laid off, Bungie is moving 155 people to Sony Interactive Entertainment over the next few quarters. Furthermore, a team working on one of Bungie's incubation projects – an action game set in a brand-new science-fantasy universe – will be spun off to form a new studio within PlayStation Studios.
It was only in October 2023 that Bungie made its last round of layoffs, and the news comes just under two months since the launch of Destiny 2: The Final Shape, which has been well-received.
– dmg04 (@A_dmg04) July 31, 2024Inexcusable. Industry leading talent being lost, yet again. Accountability falling upon the workers who have pushed the needle to deliver for our community time and time again.
Please maintain focus on those who've lost their position & income. Offer help where you can. https://t.co/SSDveUd5uW
In December, Bungie devs told IGN that the atmosphere at the company was "soul-crushing" due to fears of more layoffs, extra cost-cutting measures, and a loss of all independence from Sony if Bungie's financials did not improve. Staff said earlier this year that they feared more job cuts were coming.
The latest layoffs have led to many angry posts on social media from current and former Bungie employees. Destiny 2's global community lead Dylan Gafner (AKA dmg04) called the move "inexcusable," and noted that it's a case of "Accountability falling upon the workers who have pushed the needle to deliver for our community time and time again."
Dropping the news that you've laid off 220 people in a second round of layoffs after launching your most successful DLC to date and then going private immediately is cowardice on an embarrassing level. pic.twitter.com/56z1JdAGOX
– mads âÂÂï¸Âð (@smadseli) July 31, 2024
"This is hitting people who were told they were valued. That they were important. That they were critical to business success. But none of that mattered," wrote Bungie technical UX designer Ash Duong.
Many have called for Parsons to resign. The calls were amplified when he set his X account to private, but it seems the CEO realized that was making things worse and soon set it to public again.
– Sam �-� (@TheSamBartley) July 31, 2024Coward.
You did this. You chose this.
I'm already listed as "do not work with" and I don't care anymore. You lied to my face. Straight to it. You also invited me to come see your new cars TWO DAYS before you laid me off. Two. Fucking. Days.
Leave. Now. pic.twitter.com/nWVGgWXH8J
What's angering people even further is the discovery of what seems to be Parsons' account on a car bidding site called Bring a Trailer. It shows he has spent $2.4 million on classic cars since September 2022, which includes $500,000 since the October layoffs.
– cb̾ro (@D2cbro) July 31, 2024Pete Parsons has spent 2.4 MILLION DOLLARS on cars, trucks, and bikes on one single auction site since late 2022.
Since the Bungie layoffs in October 2023, he's spent around $500,000 on vehicles.
SHAME SHAME SHAME pic.twitter.com/d6C7cu8R3D