Bungie Faces Existential Crisis After Plagiarism Scandal, Fans Debate Studio's Future

As Destiny 2 developer Bungie grapples with restoring its reputation following accusations of artwork appropriation in Marathon, the community is abuzz with speculation about the studio's future.

Last week's claim by independent artist Fern Hook, asserting that a "former Bungie artist" used her work without permission or acknowledgment, triggered an "immediate investigation" and a subsequent admission from the studio. The situation escalated over the weekend when Marathon's game director Joe Ziegler and art director Joe Cross issued a public apology during a livestream. Notably, the broadcast avoided showcasing any Marathon art or footage, as the team was "still scrubbing all of our assets to ensure we respect the situation."

Since then, the community has been dissecting the identity of the "former artist" and pondering the potential fallout for Bungie. Some players express a sense of disillusionment, feeling "hollow" about the incident. Others question whether Marathon can still succeed, with one player suggesting that without a delay, the game might be "100% DOA" (dead on arrival). The financial implications are significant, with potential losses estimated to exceed $100 million, marking an "existential struggle" for Bungie.

Another player speculated that Marathon might launch to a tepid reception, similar to a recent Destiny expansion, and could face a short lifespan before being relegated to maintenance mode and eventual shutdown. This concern is heightened by the precedent set by Firewalk Studios' Concord, which was pulled from sale shortly after its disastrous launch, selling only about 25,000 units and peaking at a mere 697 concurrent players on Steam.

Marathon - Gameplay Screenshots

View 14 ImagesIn a separate forum thread, a fan referenced Destiny lore YouTuber My Name is Byf's comprehensive video on the matter, highlighting the potential impact on innocent employees if Bungie were to collapse. The fan expressed a desire for Bungie to make amends with the affected artist, Antireal, and take measures to prevent future incidents, emphasizing a wish to see Marathon thrive.

However, not all potential players are deterred by the controversy. One enthusiastic fan dismissed the art drama as "overblown" and expressed excitement for Marathon, anticipating engaging gameplay and customizable characters. Another user drew parallels to the music industry, arguing that all art draws inspiration from predecessors and that the concept of entirely original art is debatable.

Amidst these discussions, a message of support emerged for Bungie's employees, with a reminder of the millions of fans eager for Marathon to succeed. Despite this, Forbes reports internal turmoil at Bungie, with morale reportedly plummeting. Marathon is slated for release on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S on September 23.