As Destiny 2 developer Bungie grapples with the fallout from another accusation of art theft, this time involving their upcoming game Marathon, the community is left questioning the studio's future. Last week, an independent artist, Fern Hook, accused a "former Bungie artist" of using their work without permission, prompting an immediate investigation and acknowledgment from Bungie.
In a notably awkward livestream on Friday, Marathon's game director Joe Ziegler and art director Joe Cross apologized, emphasizing their commitment to resolving the issue. They refrained from showing any Marathon art or footage, as they were "still scrubbing all of our assets to ensure we are being respectful of the situation."
The gaming community is now abuzz with speculation about the identity of the "former artist" and the potential impact on Marathon. Some players express feelings of disillusionment, with one stating they "just feel hollow". Others are concerned about the game's viability, with one player suggesting, "The game went from mixed/negative reception to PLAGIARISM_WILL_MAKE_ME_GOD, four months from launch in the eyes of the larger gaming community. If they don't delay it, it's 100% DOA." They estimate potential losses could exceed $100 million, describing the situation as "an existential struggle for Bungie."Another player hypothesized a lukewarm reception for Marathon, predicting active updates until January, followed by maintenance mode until summer 2026, and eventual shutdown with Bungie being absorbed into Sony. A reminder of the Concord situation was brought up, referencing Firewalk Studios' online hero shooter that was pulled from sale shortly after its disastrous launch last year, selling as few as 25,000 units and peaking at 697 concurrent players on Steam.
Marathon - Gameplay Screenshots
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In a different thread, a fan highlighted Destiny lore YouTuber My Name is Byf's excellent video summary of the situation, expressing concern for the innocent employees who could be affected if Bungie fails. They voiced a desire for Bungie to make amends with the independent artist Antireal, take steps to prevent future incidents, and potentially delay the game to restore goodwill.
However, not all potential players are deterred. One said, "Ima be real I’m excited for this game. All this art drama is way overblown." They expressed anticipation for the game's features and customization options. Another replied with a perspective on artistic inspiration, suggesting that while copying is wrong, the concept of entirely original art is debatable.
Supportive comments also emerged, with one person adding, "For any Bungie employees checking in here, please remember that you have millions of fans that want to see Marathon succeed." Amidst these discussions, Forbes reports that the studio is in "chaos," with morale plummeting. Marathon is scheduled to launch for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S on September 23.
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