After the latest string of Marathon controversies, Bungie employees say morale is reaching an all-time low. The studio's extraction shooter and first new game since 2017's Destiny 2 has faced a rocky road leading up to its September 2025 release day. Over the past few months, Marathon has dealt with plagiarism accusations, comparisons to the ill-fated Concord, and negative player feedback, and it's starting to take a toll on the team.
The trouble started for Bungie before alpha tests even began. Some gamers referred to Marathon as "Concord 2.0" after its initial reveal, casting doubt over the game's ability to make much of a splash in an increasingly crowded shooter market. Unfortunately, that was only the beginning, as plagiarism controversies and concerns from playtesters have mounted.
Despite both being extraction shooters, the reception to ARC Raiders and Marathon could not be more different, and it has some serious implications.
Speaking to Forbes, several Bungie devs commented on the state of the workplace amid this series of setbacks, and they didn't paint a pretty picture. One employee said that "vibes have never been worse" at the studio, with workers across departments feeling the heat over worries of Marathon...
