Bungie known as this week “some of the tough” in its historical past in its first deal with to Future 2 gamers since information broke of mass layoffs and delays on the studio. The assertion went on to double-down on Bungie’s dedication to the upcoming The Remaining Form growth, however left many extra questions unanswered.
As many as 100 staff have been laid off from the 1,200 individual studio this week after it missed income projections by 45 %, Bloomberg reported. The Remaining Form and not too long ago introduced extraction shooter Marathon have been additionally each reportedly delayed, stoking considerations in regards to the high quality of the Future 2 growth following a disappointing reception to 2023’s Lightfall in February.
As a substitute of its regular This Week at Bungie weblog put up, the studio released a brief statement that started by acknowledging the layoffs and “pals and colleagues” supporting each other, however rapidly pivoted to reassuring followers about the way forward for Future 2. “We wish to acknowledge the suggestions and considerations you have got about Lightfall and up to date Seasons, in addition to your responses to the reveal of The Remaining Form,” the studio wrote. “We all know we have now misplaced numerous your belief. Future must shock and delight. We haven’t carried out this sufficient and that’s going to alter.”
Bungie mentioned it’s working to “exceed expectations” with the upcoming growth that’s set to conclude 10 years of storytelling within the Future universe. The studio pointed to previous expansions like Forsaken (thought of by many the high-water mark for the sci-fi shooter MMO) because the aim, and touted a growth crew of 650 folks engaged on the content material that was reportedly delayed from February 2024 to June. The put up didn’t deal with the delay.
Whereas Bungie promised to share extra about the place Future 2 is headed within the months forward, the weblog put up did little to deal with considerations in regards to the well being and administration of the studio, or frustration with the latest layoffs which included star veterans like Future lead composer Michael Salvatori. Bloomberg reported that laid off employees would lose out on unvested shares from Sony’s $3.6 billion acquisition of Bungie in 2022.
IGN reported that builders had been “begging” for vital adjustments to Future 2 to win gamers again previous to the cuts and have been pissed off that “choices resulting in the corporate’s obvious cash struggles have been out of their palms, and that those that have been laid off have been being punished for an issue they largely didn’t trigger.”
The complete weblog put up is copied under:
OUR PATH FORWARD
This has been some of the tough weeks in our studio’s historical past, as we’ve parted methods with folks we respect and admire. We’ve spent this week supporting each other, together with those that are on the studio, in addition to pals and colleagues who now not are.
We wish to acknowledge the suggestions and considerations you have got about Lightfall and up to date Seasons, in addition to your responses to the reveal of The Remaining Form. We all know we have now misplaced numerous your belief. Future must shock and delight. We haven’t carried out this sufficient and that’s going to alter.
To us the trail ahead is evident: We have to make The Remaining Form an unforgettable Future expertise. We wish to construct one thing that shall be regarded alongside one of the best video games we’ve ever made – a becoming fruits that honors the journey we’ve been on collectively for the previous ten years. Forsaken, The Witch Queen, and The Taken King – these are the usual bearers we purpose to reside as much as.
We’re intensely targeted on exceeding your expectations for The Remaining Form. Future 2 has greater than 650 devoted teammates pouring all their vitality and experience into delivering this epic second and its subsequent Episodes.
Within the weeks forward, you’ll be listening to extra from us about what’s subsequent on the short-term horizon, starting with our subsequent Season in late November. Afterwards, we’ll start to unpack our crew’s greater, bolder, and brighter imaginative and prescient for The Remaining Form, in addition to the bridge we plan to construct to take us all out of this Darkness and into the Gentle.
See you starside,
The Future 2 Dev Group
