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Destiny

Destiny 2's live service has ended, the majority of its development team has been laid off, and the game is in a maintenance phase with servers still running. The franchise's future is uncertain.

Synthesized from 4 Yomimono stories · updated Jun 26

Destiny 2 received its final content update, Monument of Triumph, on June 9, 2026, drawing a surge of 167,867 concurrent players on Steam, the highest since the June 2024 expansion The Final Shape. Bungie had announced in May that it would end new content updates, making this the last major update. Servers continue operating, and the game remains playable.

On June 25, 2026, Sony Interactive Entertainment and Bungie announced layoffs affecting the majority of the Destiny development team, part of the Marathon team, and some SIE staff. Bungie stated that Destiny 2 has not met expectations in recent years and that the current development structure cannot sustain future plans. The studio has delivered the final live service content update and is transitioning to a new phase. This is Bungie's third round of major layoffs in five years.

Former Bungie staff revealed that a dating sim for Destiny 2, styled after Dream Daddy, was prototyped during internal game jams but rejected by management each year. The disclosure came as the game's live service concluded after a decade. Marathon will remain a key pillar of the SIE portfolio, with full team support continuing, while incubation for future projects is underway.

Key facts

Final content update
Destiny 2 received its final live service content update, Monument of Triumph, on June 9, 2026.
Player count surge
Concurrent players on Steam peaked at 167,867 after the final update, the highest since The Final Shape expansion in June 2024.
Layoffs
On June 25, 2026, Bungie laid off the majority of the Destiny development team, part of the Marathon team, and some SIE staff.
Bungie statement on Destiny 2
Bungie said Destiny 2 has not met expectations in recent years and the current development structure cannot sustain future plans.
Third round of layoffs
This is Bungie's third round of major layoffs in five years.
Dating sim prototype
A dating sim for Destiny 2, styled after Dream Daddy, was prototyped during internal game jams but rejected by management each year.
Game launch and saga conclusion
Destiny 2 launched in 2017 and concluded its Light and Darkness saga with The Final Shape expansion in 2024.
Server status
Servers will continue operating for the foreseeable future, and the game remains playable.

Timeline

Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every fact links the story it came from.

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SIE and Bungie Lay Off Most of Destiny Team and Part of Marathon Team

Sony Interactive Entertainment and its subsidiary Bungie announced on June 25, 2026, that they are conducting layoffs as part of an organizational restructuring. The reductions target most of the Destiny development team, part of the Marathon team, and SIE staff who support Bungie's operations. In a statement, Bungie said that Destiny 2 has not met expectations in recent years and that the current development structure cannot sustain future plans. The announcement follows the end of Destiny 2's development, which concluded with a final update on June 9, 2026. SIE CEO of the Studio Business Group Hermen Hulst explained in an internal email that the decision came after several months of review with Bungie's management regarding long-term direction, development priorities, and the studio's role in the broader portfolio. He added that multiple alternatives were considered before concluding that reductions were necessary. Marathon, which launched in March 2026, remains an important part of the SIE portfolio and will continue to receive support. Affected employees will receive severance, career transition assistance, and where possible, opportunities within SIE's global studio network. This is the third round of layoffs at Bungie in the past five years.

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Destiny 2 Dating Sim Prototype Rejected by Management Every Year

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