'Situation at Bungie is Depressing;' Destiny Devs Fight for Scraps of Freedom
Bungie employees report on Sony's plans to take full control of the studio.
Following news of layoffs at Bungie and setbacks in work on the new DLC for Destiny 2 IGN journalists took a closer look at the source of the problem. It seems that this is only the beginning of the challenges faced by the developers.
Low morale and the danger of losing independence
According to a detailed investigation conducted by IGN Bungie's staff and financial situation has had a far greater impact on the company's operations than we might expect.
The atmosphere among employees is extremely depressing and overwhelming. The reason for this, however, is not supposed to be just the fear of layoffs or the exhaustion associated with the incessant work on projects weighing on the fate of the studio.
According to anonymous reports, it is the partnership with Sony that causes individual developers the most concern.
- Last year, Bungie was bought out by Sony in a publicly stated mood of independent cooperation. According to employees, such an image is only a facade.
- There are already two Sony PlayStation representatives on the studio's five-person board of directors. In the event of any resolutions, the deciding vote on the majority is held by Bungie boss Pete Parsons, who enjoys less and less trust among his subordinates.
- Sony's influence, however, may increase significantly, as the Japanese company announces the formation of an entirely new board of directors if the remaining titles in development do not reach their financial targets, thus completely removing the studio's independence.
- Under Sony's full control, the future of existing employees will come into question. To save the budget, the company is already considering betting on labor outsourcing, saving on the most costly full-time positions.
In such a difficult situation, the fear of employees is to be multiplied by the approach of superiors to flagging morale. Even private conversations about recent layoffs or expressions of concern about the direction of cooperation with Sony are to be stigmatized within the company., creating an extremely toxic work atmosphere.
"I am angry. I'm disappointed. This is not why I came to this company. It seems that many supervisors are ignoring the data and saying: 'we just need to get our fans back, they still like us' - no, they don't like us. We got rid of some of our most competent and beloved people who have been here for more than 20 years. I go to work every day afraid that I or my friends will be next. No one is safe.
People who stayed here feel very strongly about the 'us vs. them' narrative painted between superiors and employees. This trust has been destroyed," employees report.
The unhealthy and unprofessional approach doesn't just affect the psyche of the developers, but in the long run it can reflect on the quality of Bungie's important projects.
It is no surprise that Sony, after purchase of a studio worth $3.6 billion will do everything to prevent its demise. Unfortunately, due to the previously constructed narrative, which did not involve taking full control of the board, it is impossible to predict what strategy Sony will adopt if this were to happen.
