Until recently, Bungie’s next game, Marathon, was slated to be released in September. But the game was delayed indefinitely in June amid reports that Bungie will lose its independence by fully integrating into PlayStation Studios. Now, Bungie’s CEO Pete Parsons has announced his departure from the studio after over two decades.
Parsons joined Bungie in 2002 and served as COO before being promoted to CEO in early 2016. In a statement shared on Bungie’s official site, Bungie called his stint on top of the company “the honor of a lifetime” and added that he is “deeply proud of the worlds we’ve built together and the millions of players who call them home.”
Before closing his statement, Parsons announced that Chief Development Officer Justin Truman will be the new head of Bungie. He also endorsed Truman as his successor.
“I have worked alongside Justin for many years,” said Parsons. “His passion for our games, our team, and our players is unmatched. As a leader in engineering, production, and design–and most recently as the General Manager for Destiny 2 and our Chief Development Officer–he has been instrumental in bringing some of the most memorable moments in Bungie’s history to life. He lives and breathes this studio, and I have full confidence that he is the right person to lead Bungie forward.”
In July 2024, Bungie was hit by mass layoffs including senior executives Luke Smith and Mark Noseworthy. Former Bungie employees have also come forward and accused the company of being driven by greed thanks to a toxic corporate culture. The early buzz for Marathon compared it to Concord, the failed live-service shooter that was pulled by Sony just weeks after its release.
Sony has since recommitted to live-service titles, and PlayStation Studios boss Hermen Hulst doesn’t believe that Marathon will meet the same fate as Concord. Earlier this month, Sony CFO Lin Tao shared his belief that Marathon will be released before the end of Sony’s fiscal year, which runs through March 31, 2026.
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