Bungie execs reportedly killed Destiny 2 subscription service as management “prioritised monetisation over player experience”

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Due to a decline in player count for Destiny 2, Bungie finds themselves in a challenging situation. This decrease isn’t helped by issues with the game’s introduction process for newcomers. Moreover, they have faced criticisms over allegations of mass plagiarism in their upcoming shooter, Marathon.

Originally hailed as a star in the gaming industry, this FPS developer is currently experiencing a steep decline, often referred to as an uncontrolled descent. Unfortunately, there seems to be no end in sight to the negative news circulating around the studio. In a video analysis by YouTube personality and journalist Destin Legarie, the studio was portrayed as a toxic environment due to executives repeatedly stifling creative ideas at their root.

Destiny 2 subscription service was “vehemently shut down”

During the investigation, Legarie conversed with multiple ex-employees from Bungie who shared their experiences of the studio’s management consistently dismissing suggestions for improving Destiny 2 and other projects. One worker put it this way: if the management team didn’t come up with an idea, they deemed it unnecessary.

A previous worker put it this way: “The issues at Bungie originate from a lack of understanding towards players, detached management, and an overemphasis on corporate interests.” However, suggestions for enhancing the player experience are often dismissed if they don’t generate additional revenue for top executives.

The report stated that Bungie’s leadership expressed worry over the eye-catching Trials of Osiris armor due to its high attractiveness, as it might interfere with the revenue generated by their DLC and Eververse store. It was also mentioned that Bungie management believed that providing this armor could potentially impact sales from other products. Studio employees reportedly faced criticism for proposals that could negatively affect sales of various offerings.

One ex-developer pointed out that the main problem with the studio lies in its consistent focus on “earning revenue ahead of enhancing the player’s experience.” Another developer attributed each significant issue within the studio to “excessive greed.

Bungie has faced significant criticism online for mishandling Destiny 2, particularly their decision to eliminate paid content from the game through its Vaulting process. Additionally, there have been multiple allegations of plagiarism and harsh backlash due to mass layoffs, while executives were seen purchasing numerous cars.

1. Bungie continues developing new content for Destiny 2, but there hasn’t been any confirmation about a potential third installment in the series. Their upcoming title, Marathon (a shooter focusing on extraction), is scheduled to launch on September 23, 2025. Interestingly, Bungie was purchased by PlayStation for approximately $3.7 billion back in 2022.

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2025-05-22 15:10