Sony Settles With Fired Marathon Director Christopher Barrett, Adds His Name to Credits

Sony and Bungie have settled with Christopher Barrett, the original game director of Marathon who was fired in spring 2024 following an internal misconduct investigation. As part of the settlement, Barrett's name has been added to Marathon's credits, formally recognizing his role as the game's original director.

Barrett had sued Sony and Bungie for more than $200 million, denying the misconduct allegations and claiming his firing was designed to avoid paying out nearly $50 million owed under his employment agreement. His lawsuit also alleged he was scapegoated for Bungie's broader struggles following the PlayStation acquisition, and that the investigation was used as a pretext to fire him after he requested FMLA leave. In a social media post confirming the settlement, Barrett said the outcome is "one I am very satisfied with" and that closing the chapter lets him focus on "what's next on my gaming journey." A joint statement from all parties confirmed the credit addition. Barrett now lists co-creator of Destiny and original game director of Marathon among his credits, alongside environment art director on Halo — part of a nearly 25-year career at Bungie.

The settlement closes one legal headache for Bungie, but the studio's wider troubles are far from over. Last month, nearly 300 staff at Bungie's Bellevue, Washington office lost their jobs — the studio's third round of layoffs in three years. Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO of Studio Business Hermen Hulst described the cuts as hitting "most of the Destiny team and some Marathon team members," calling the decision "difficult" and "painful" but "necessary." Bungie reportedly employed around 850 people as of 2024, and once had 1,000 staff in Bellevue according to a 2023 city financial report. Between October 2023 and July 2024, roughly 320 additional staff had already been let go. The layoffs followed the end of new content for Destiny 2 and the launch of Marathon, which has struggled to attract and retain players since release.

Sony has publicly insisted it remains committed to Marathon, and the team is said to be working on incubation efforts for future projects alongside the live game. With the Barrett lawsuit resolved and Marathon's future still uncertain, Bungie enters the second half of 2026 in a significantly smaller and more precarious position than it held just two years ago.