Sony cuts – An internal email from Hermen Hulst says Sony Interactive Entertainment has decided to reduce Bungie’s workforce, affecting a significant number of employees, including most of the Destiny team and some Marathon team members. The update cites a long review of
The email landed with the kind of weight that doesn’t fade after the first read.
Hermen Hulst. CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Studio Business Group. wrote to employees distributed today to share a “difficult update regarding Bungie.” He said the company has decided to reduce Bungie’s workforce. a move that will affect a significant number of employees. The impact. he said. reaches “including most of the Destiny team and some Marathon team members. ” along with “reductions across SIE teams that support Bungie’s operations.”.
For those impacted at Bungie and within SIE, the message was direct: they were being informed today.
Hulst acknowledged the decision is painful—especially for colleagues whose roles have been eliminated. He said the reduction wasn’t made lightly. “This decision was made only after extensive discussion and careful consideration,” he wrote, and he laid out how the company arrived at it.
Over the past several months. Hulst said Sony and Bungie leadership reviewed the studio’s long-term direction. its development priorities. its resource needs. and Bungie’s role inside a broader portfolio strategy. He added that they explored multiple alternatives before concluding that a reduction was necessary to align Bungie’s resources with its current priorities and long-term goals.
The timing carries its own pressure. Hulst pointed to Bungie’s recent shared update tied to Destiny 2. saying the studio has “begun a new journey” after the release of the game’s final live-service content update. He called what Bungie accomplished over the past decade “truly remarkable. ” adding that the franchise left “a lasting mark on players and the industry. ” and that everyone who contributed to Destiny’s success should be proud of what they helped create.
Marathon, meanwhile, is still positioned as a future anchor—at least in the way Hulst described it. He said the game “remains an important part of our portfolio. ” and that Sony will continue to support the team as they build on the foundation set during Season 1 and 2. He also said Bungie’s work includes “incubation efforts for future projects. ” while acknowledging it is “too early to discuss” what comes next. Still, he wrote that Sony is encouraged by “creativity and opportunities” ahead.
The immediate focus. according to the email. is not on future promises but on what happens next for people who are leaving. Hulst said the company’s priority is supporting affected employees through the transition. He said Sony is providing transition support and. where possible. working to identify opportunities across SIE and its global network of studios.
He also closed with gratitude. Hulst thanked every affected employee for “hard work, creativity, and contributions to Bungie, SIE, and the broader gaming community.”
He recognized that the harm isn’t limited to those exiting. “I know today’s news is deeply difficult not only for those leaving, but for those colleagues and friends that remain,” he wrote, urging employees to take the time they need to process and to support one another as they do.
Bungie Destiny 2 Marathon Sony Interactive Entertainment workforce reduction Hermen Hulst
So Destiny is getting canceled or what? Seems like they always cut jobs right before the game dies.
That sucks. I don’t even play Destiny like that but it’s still messed up they’re hitting most of the team. Also Marathon???? Like why cut jobs AND still act surprised.
Wait it says “aligned with current priorities” which is corporate for “we picked the wrong project.” Destiny done, Marathon next, that’s how it goes. Sony been weird for a while, so I’m not shocked.
Hermen Hulst email… cool cool. I feel like this is just because they spent too long on “the final live-service update” and then nobody cared after that. But also, aren’t they supposed to be like, done with Destiny content already? So what are they saving money for? Idk, just sad for the people getting hit.