Sony leadership reportedly has major frustration with Bungie over live service issues, while some PlayStation staff are said to be pushing back against the end of Destiny 2 support.
Bungie recently released Monument of Triumph, the final live service content update for its acclaimed looter shooter MMO, Destiny 2, marking the end of active support after years of expansions, seasons, events, and raids. The game itself is not shutting down, but this is clearly the end of an era for both Destiny 2 and Bungie.
What makes the situation even messier is that Monument of Triumph has actually performed very well. The update has been received positively by many players and brought a big surge in player count across all platforms, with Destiny 2 climbing high on Steam’s revenue charts and passing 167,000 concurrent players on Steam.
But shortly after Bungie announced the end of active live service support, several reports claimed the studio was preparing for “significant” layoffs after this final update. More recently, French journalist Sylvain Trinel claimed that at least 50% of Bungie’s workforce could be affected, including permanent employees and contract staff.
Now, the same journalist has shared more details about what may be happening behind closed doors.
Sony Reportedly Facing Internal Pushback Over Bungie And Destiny 2
Posting on X, Sylvain Trinel claimed that after speaking with sources, including some at PlayStation, there appears to be strong internal pushback over the decision to discontinue Destiny 2’s live service support.
According to Trinel, some people inside PlayStation reportedly do not understand the decision made by higher leadership. He also claimed that some sources described a feeling of “revenge” from Sony leadership, with Bungie being blamed for problems tied to “a number of issues with their GaaS [Games as a Service] strategy.”
Here is the statement in full:
“After speaking with my sources, including some at PlayStation, what stands out is mainly internal resistance/strong pushback,” Trinel said. “Many people at PlayStation don’t understand the decision made at the top to discontinue D2.
“Some have told me that there’s a kind of desire for revenge, as Sony’s leadership reportedly blames Bungie for a number of issues with their GaaS strategy. The exact number of layoffs planned at Bungie is still being determined, but I’ve been told repeatedly that the target is indeed 50%.”
When asked whether he meant Sony was seeking revenge or Bungie was, Trinel replied, “Sony exec.”
That is a very serious claim. As of now, Bungie and Sony have not confirmed any 50% layoff target. There have also not been any other reports of internal PlayStation resistance or Sony leadership wanting “revenge” against Bungie. Right now, this information appears to be coming from a single journalist’s sources, so take it with a huge, huge grain of salt.
Earlier today, journalist Paul Tassi also reported that even with Monument of Triumph’s strong player numbers and positive reception, it apparently didn’t move the needle when it comes to changing Bungie’s plans. According to Tassi, he asked sources if the update’s success had changed anything behind the scenes, and the answer he received was “no.”
That makes the whole situation feel even rougher for longtime Destiny players. Monument of Triumph seems to have reminded everyone that there is still a real audience for Destiny 2, but if these reports are accurate, that may not be enough to change what Bungie and Sony have already set in motion.
What do you think about these latest claims? Do you think Sony is making the right call by moving on from Destiny 2’s live service support? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
