Summary
FormerDestiny 2developers claim that Bungie’s monetization strategy was influenced by internal “greed,” which added unnecessary friction to the creative process and resulted in large-scale disappointment within the community. The developer ofDestiny 2, currently working on the extraction shooterMarathon, has faced waves of criticism following layoffs, art plagiarism allegations, and reports of toxic management from former employees.
Bungie has issued severalmonetization updates toDestiny 2during its nearly eight-year stint. The company has increased the relevance of the Eververse store and seasonal content passes, both of which include paid content. In late 2023, Bungie reduced its workforce by over 300 roles, after a drastic fall in revenue. This put even more pressure on monetizing its games, which has been increasingly aggressive.
Destin Legarie has released a video on Bungie’s internal struggles, compiling complaints from former employees and industry sources. Multiple former employees described dreary top-down decision-making in the studio, prioritizing finances over creative input, which led to much of thecommunity backlash forDestiny 2. One reported a meeting where glowing armor design in Trials of Osiris was denied due to it being a threat to Eververse purchases that weren’t seen as attractive enough in comparison.
Former Devs Describe Monetization-Driven Culture at Bungie
“Everything happening to Bungie is because of greed,” said a formerDestiny 2developer, which was the crux of the argument for many disgruntled former employees. Another mentioned leadership pitching a subscription model forDestiny 2, which was only shut down thanks to the staff’s “vehement” opposition. The leadership at Bungie also held a meeting where the staff were given a “monetization scolding,” presumably for not enabling enough microtransactions.
Rumors of higher-ups using expensive penthouses and atoxic work culture at Bungieare at the very core of the problem. It has only made the monetization issue worse. As the financial situation dictated, developers had to come up with more ways to monetize the product. Ultimately, the players would, naturally, foot the bill for the increase in paid content, which would lead to more dissatisfaction about the state ofDestiny 2.
Legarie also noted several comments about great leaders that were, unfortunately, overruled or didn’t have a say in the matters. This gives promise that the company can course-correct and bring a more player-focused atmosphere to its beloved franchises in the future.
