Marathon, Bungie’s upcoming game, has recently been the subject of troubling reports from a former developer. Gareth Jensen, who contributed to the engineering side of the project, described his time working on the game as “extremely toxic and humiliating.” His comments shed light on internal challenges that might be affecting the studio.
Jensen took to social media to express his frustrations, particularly with Marathon’s engineering and leadership teams. He stated, “Bungie leadership needs to be gutted completely,” a strong critique that reflects deep dissatisfaction.
As a former Bungie employee who worked on Marathon, I feel for those still at the studio. Working with engineering / Marathon leadership was extremely toxic and humiliating. I won't speak about the rest, but Bungie leadership needs to be gutted completely.thegamepost.com/bungie-leade…
— Spirited (@spirited.snowcat.social) 2025-05-18T21:25:40.535Z
He was part of the team responsible for developing Marathon’s online services. Interestingly, this team was dissolved shortly after Jensen left, as layoffs followed within weeks. Before joining the Marathon project, Jensen worked on Bungie’s Destiny series.
While Jensen chose not to elaborate further, citing non-disclosure agreements, his remarks come amid other controversies surrounding Marathon. The game has faced accusations of using stolen artwork, which has only added to the tension around its development.
Reports also indicate that morale at Bungie is currently very low, with internal concerns about the game’s success and the studio’s future. This highlights the pressure the team is under as the game approaches release. It’s always tough to hear about behind-the-scenes struggles, especially from a studio with such a strong legacy. I’m curious to know what you think about these revelations and the situation at Bungie. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.
