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A month after mass layoffs at Bungie, Marathon game director Joe Ziegler is leaving the studio
Marathon game director Joe Ziegler has left Bungie, just a month after the studio underwent mass layoffs following the final major Destiny 2 update. His departure comes shortly before the extraction shooter's mid-season 2 patch, adding to a turbulent stretch for Bungie as it leans heavily on Marathon's success amid ongoing uncertainty about the game's future.
Ziegler announced his exit on 17 July 2026 in a statement saying it was his last day, with leadership passing to Del Chafe III, previously Marathon's assistant game director, who will work alongside creative director Julia Nardin. Ziegler said he was moving on to something new elsewhere and would share details later, while reassuring players that "the mission will continue" as the game develops further, with next week's update set to introduce Marathon's first proper PvE mode.
In short
- Marathon director Joe Ziegler is leaving Bungie
- Del Chafe III takes over as game director
- Comes a month after Bungie's mass layoffs
Explained simply
Bungie, a major video game studio best known for the Destiny franchise, has recently experienced significant upheaval. The studio conducted mass layoffs and released what it described as the final major update for Destiny 2, the online game that sustained the company for over a decade.
Joe Ziegler was the game director for Marathon, a new multiplayer shooter that Bungie is developing as it transitions away from Destiny 2. He departed the studio on 17 July 2026, just a month after the company's mass layoffs. Leadership of the project has passed to Del Chafe III and Julia Nardin, the game's creative director.
With Destiny 2 no longer receiving major updates, Bungie is dependent on Marathon's success to sustain operations. Ziegler's departure is therefore noteworthy given that the studio is rebuilding around a new, unproven game. The leadership change occurs during a critical period for the company's recovery and future prospects.
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