Bungie turmoil (Destiny)

by Cody Miller , Music of the Spheres - Never Forgot, Wednesday, December 06, 2023, 08:26 (352 days ago) @ Avateur

Assuming the reporting is accurate, this is all very sad and unfortunate. And Bungie could conceivably lose its independence, again.

https://www.ign.com/articles/bungie-devs-say-atmosphere-is-soul-crushing-amid-layoffs-cuts-and-fear-of-total-sony-tak...

While the exact details of Sony’s deal to acquire Bungie remain unknown to the public or employees, sources say they were told by leaders that the current split board structure is contingent on Bungie meeting certain financial goals. If Bungie falls short of its financial goals by too great an amount, Sony is allowed to dissolve the existing board and take full control of the company.

Along with the recent layoffs, this has resulted in a massive decay in morale within the company, according to IGN’s sources, one of whom told us that the mood within the studio has been “soul-crushing” over the last month. And it doesn’t sound like management is making any significant efforts toward improving the atmosphere, either.

"I’m angry. I’m upset. This isn’t what I came here to do,” one person said. “It feels like many higher ups aren’t listening to the data and are like, ‘We just need to win our fans back, they still like us.’ No. They don’t...We got rid of some of our most knowledgeable beloved folks who have been here for 20+ years. Everyday I walk in afraid that I or my friends are next. No one is safe."

Others said they were rebuffed repeatedly and discouraged from even discussing the layoffs whenever they tried to ask questions. Employees in one department recalled a post-layoffs Q&A session where a department head was asked if leadership taking salary cuts to prevent layoffs had been considered, only to respond that Bungie was “not that type of company.”

Another anxiety sources discussed with us was that many of the reductions made at Bungie recently were part of a broader move toward outsourcing. Multiple individuals across various departments told us they’d heard discussions within their teams of plans to increase outsourcing both before and in the wake of the layoffs.

It's over. Laying off key people with decades of knowledge. Sony being able to dissolve the board if financial goals aren't met. Outsourcing work. Any one of those three things is an existential threat. But all of them at once?

I think it's time to emotionally prepare for the death of this company. We can hope for a miracle, but I wouldn't expect it.