Marathon Developer’s Morale is in “Free-Fall” – Rumor

Bungie has faced an uphill battle with its upcoming extraction shooter Marathon since its reveal in April. Alongside mixed impressions of the gameplay and art direction, its recent closed alpha has attracted some skepticism, despite its unfinished state. There’s also the recent controversy regarding independent artist ANTIREAL’s assets used in-game without her permission.

While Bungie acknowledged the “unauthorized use of art decals,” it revealed that the issue was “unknown” to its existing art team. But what’s going on behind the scenes? According to Forbes’ Paul Tassi, Sony and Bungie’s legal department are allegedly “sorting through this,” and new information is unlikely to be shared.

How long it will take to fix remains to be seen, but morale is reportedly in “free-fall,” and the “vibes have never been worse” across all departments at the studio. The current environment surrounding its release is apparently “actively hostile,” with employees allegedly concerned over what could happen to Bungie if the title flops.

Marathon launches on September 23rd for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. There are no reports about a potential delay, but plans could change in the coming months. Stay tuned for more details and updates in the meantime.