Gaming industry outraged over Bungie layoffs

Olivia Richman Published 31/10/2023

Bungie has laid off a large amount of employees, sources say.

The Destiny 2 developer has yet to reveal just how many employees were laid off on October 30, but this is just the latest in massive layoffs in the gaming and esports industry this year.

Former Bungie employees took to social media to announce the news, leading CEO Pete Parsons to confirm that the layoffs did indeed happen.

He wrote: “Today is a sad day at Bungie as we say goodbye to colleagues who have all made a significant impact on our studio. What these exceptional individuals have contributed to our games and Bungie culture has been enormous and will continue to be a part of Bungie long into the future.”

Game industry reacts to Bungie layoffs

On October 30, Parsons tweeted that the employees being let go from Bungie are “truly talented people,” stating he would highly recommend them for other opportunities.

But the gaming community reacted with frustration.

In response to Parsons’ tweet, some gaming enthusiasts questioned why the employees were not given a two week notice. Others called it “tone deaf,” clearly not happy with how the situation was handled.

The gaming industry is most likely sick of seeing this same story unfold time and time again. Bungie is far from the only company to go through mass layoffs. Epic Games laid off more than 800 employees in September and many esports organizations have also cut a huge chunk of employees, leaving the community rattled.

Olivia Richman

About Olivia Richman

Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.

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