Bungie Shake-Up: Pete Parsons Steps Down, Justin Truman Named Studio Head Amid Layoffs and Marathon Delay
Longtime Bungie leader Pete Parsons is leaving the studio, and Justin Truman is taking over as studio head. The move closes a decades-long run for Parsons and arrives while Bungie deals with layoffs, legal trouble, and delays to its upcoming game Marathon.
- Parsons steps down after decades at Bungie and a stint as CEO since 2016.
- Justin Truman — formerly Destiny 2 GM and chief development officer — is the new studio head.
- News arrives amid July 2024 layoffs, a lawsuit, and Marathon’s indefinite delay.
Leadership change at Bungie
Pete Parsons has stepped down from his role at Bungie, ending a career at the studio that spanned decades. He became Bungie’s CEO in 2016 after serving as executive producer and chief operating officer since 2002. In his own words, “This journey has been the honor of a lifetime,” Parson said in a statement on Bungie’s website. Moreover, Parsons noted goals he set when he took the reins, including growing Bungie into a studio capable of creating and sustaining generation-spanning entertainment.
Justin Truman steps up
Justin Truman is now Bungie’s studio head. Previously, he served as general manager for Destiny 2 and as the company’s chief development officer. Truman said, “I am committed to supporting and working alongside every member of the team here as we continue pouring our hearts and souls into these worlds,” referring to Bungie’s franchises like Destiny and Marathon. He added, “We are hard at work right now doing that – both with Marathon and Destiny. We’re currently heads down, but we’ll have more to show you in both of these worlds later this year.”
Context: layoffs, lawsuit, and Marathon delay
Importantly, this leadership change comes during a turbulent period for Bungie. In July 2024, the studio laid off over 200 employees after what the company described as a “quality miss” with Destiny 2’s Lightfall expansion. At the same time, Bungie has been involved in a lawsuit connected to a former creative director who was fired over allegations of inappropriate behavior toward female employees.
Additionally, Bungie delayed Marathon, an extraction shooter that had been scheduled to launch on Sept. 23. The company said the delay followed lukewarm feedback from an alpha playtest. Around the same time, it was reported that Bungie had used an artist’s work in Marathon without properly crediting her.
What this means going forward
To be clear, Bungie continues work on both Destiny and Marathon, and the new studio head has signaled the team will show more later in the year. However, the company faces clear challenges: rebuilding trust after layoffs and handling legal and PR issues tied to internal conduct and creative credit. Consequently, Justin Truman will inherit both ongoing projects and the task of steadying the studio.
