Former Valorant Game Director Replaces Long-Time Bungie Designer As Marathon Head

Bungie is changing leadership yet again amidst the neverending concerns over layoffs.

We’re talking about Marathon now, the company’s upcoming PvP sci-fi extraction shooter, instead of Destiny. Christopher Barrett, a long-time Bungie designer, is being replaced as the game director for Marathon by Joe Ziegler — who was formerly the game director for Valorant at Riot Games. While there's speculation about Barrett's future with the company, Ziegler has confirmed his appointment.

Hey everyone! Fun update: for the last 9
Months I’ve been working on Marathon as the game director. We’re still baking, but I’m excited to share with you more info on the game as we get closer and closer to bringing it to all of you.

— Ziegler (@Ziegler_Dev) March 19, 2024

Things are changing though under Ziegler, such as a shift away from custom player characters towards a selectable cast of heroes. And according to IGN, there are growing concerns among employees about potential layoffs following the release of the upcoming Destiny 2 expansion, The Final Shape. Doubt is rising over Bungie’s financial situation in regard to the viability of the company's current trajectory and the necessity for successful releases to alleviate internal tensions.

Also, in case you’ve forgotten, Bungie was acquired by Sony in 2022. The company continued to struggle financially. Then there were major layoffs in 2023. So, Bungie needs a win and fast because Sony’s final payouts in 2026 will be here before you know it and there might be significant leadership changes following that.