Bungie builders are reportedly frightened concerning the what the longer term holds for the corporate as its unbiased relationship to Sony comes into query.
In line with a current report from IGN, Bungie builders talking underneath the situation of anonymity have described the temper inside the studio as “soul-crushing” over the previous month following an enormous spherical of layoffs inside the firm. This consists of worries that the corporate will quickly be taken over by Sony.
In 2022, Sony formally accomplished its $3.7 billion acquisition of Bungie and stated on the time that Bungie would stay absolutely unbiased in the way it runs issues. Nevertheless, IGN’s report notes that numerous workers had been advised that the present board at Bungie — which is break up between Sony and Bungie representatives — is contingent on Bungie assembly sure monetary targets.
Ought to these targets not be met, sources inside Bungie advised IGN that Sony could be allowed to “dissolve the prevailing board and take full management of the corporate.”
Bungie builders worry extra layoffs may additionally happen
Fears of a possible takeover are what many on the firm imagine led to Bungie’s huge spherical of layoffs earlier this 12 months. Regardless of the transfer, workers stay annoyed and offended that extra layoffs might come sooner or later.
As one nameless developer stated, Future 2’s upcoming enlargement The Ultimate Form — which was lately delayed additional into 2024 — is a giant deal for the corporate, and one which, if not profitable, might imply extra layoffs.
“We all know we want Ultimate Form to do properly,” one supply advised IGN. “And the sensation on the studio is that if it doesn’t we’re positively extra layoffs.”
When it got here to the layoffs, builders additionally stated that they felt “discouraged” from even discussing them. One other developer stated that, throughout a post-layoff Q&A session with division heads, management was requested if that they had thought of taking wage cuts to cease layoffs from taking place, to which they had been advised that Bungie was “not that sort of firm.”