Bungie was on the verge of shutting down before Sony acquired the studio in 2022 for approximately $3.6 to $3.7 billion, according to former Bungie community manager Liana Ruppert [1, 2]. Ruppert described the sale as an "emergency acquisition," saying, "Bungie was below the red line before the Sony acquisition. If it wasn’t acquired right then, the studio was very close to shutting its doors at the very least on Destiny." [2]
Destiny 2, Bungie’s flagship game, released its final update in early 2026 and has since entered a state of stasis, ending active development [1, 2]. The studio is now primarily focused on supporting Marathon, their newer extraction shooter, which Ruppert said is "the only way to keep Bungie alive right now." [1]
Financial difficulties began before Sony’s acquisition, with Destiny 2’s declining playerbase contributing to the challenges. Sony recorded a $766 million impairment loss related to Bungie during its 2025 financial year [2]. There are concerns about potential layoffs at Bungie following the final Destiny 2 update, although details remain unclear [1].
Bungie’s split from Activision in 2019 allowed them to self-publish Destiny 2, but that did not prevent the financial issues that nearly led to the studio’s closure [2]. Despite a strong fan demand and a petition calling for the development of Destiny 3, the prospects for a new mainline sequel appear unlikely in the near term [1, 2].
Former community manager Ruppert highlighted the studio’s urgent need to focus on Marathon to survive, warning that continuing solely with Destiny’s legacy was not viable [1]. The Bungie team will continue supporting Marathon as their main project while Destiny 2 remains in maintenance mode [1]. The company faces decisions on staffing and future projects in the coming months as it navigates this transition.
