Last month was a rough ride for Marathon, not just because of the drama around stolen art but also because of a big leadership change. Bungie has hired Julia Nardin as the new Creative Director for Marathon, a move that might hint at some shifts ahead for the game.
Here’s the deal: Marathon hit severe turbulence after a Bungie artist used unauthorized artwork from an independent artist. Bungie publicly admitted the mistake and apologized, but the fallout didn’t stop there. Reports say company morale has been in free fall since the incident, which sounds pretty intense.
Marathon Appoints Julia Nardin as Creative Director
Marathon Bulletin spotted Julia Nardin’s new role on X (formerly Twitter), where her LinkedIn update confirmed the promotion. Nardin’s been with Bungie since 2019, initially as a Narrative Lead on Destiny. She became Narrative Director for Marathon and Destiny: The Final Shape in 2022. Now, in May 2025, she’s taken the reins as Creative Director for Marathon.
‼️Julia Nardin (previously Narrative Director) is now the Creative Director on Bungie’s Marathon. She took on the new role in May 2025.
(via LinkedIn) pic.twitter.com/47VpCkqMS6
— Marathon Bulletin (@TauCetiGG) June 10, 2025
Interestingly, there were whispers about Marathon cancelling all planned paid marketing recently. Some folks think this could mean the game is delayed or cancelled. Hiring a new Creative Director so close to the scheduled release date supports the delay theory, right? But hey, until Bungie says otherwise, we’re just guessing here.
What do you think this change means for Marathon’s future? Could Julia’s new role signal a fresh direction or some much-needed damage control? Let me know in the comments below!
