Recent Controversy Surrounding Bungie’s Marathon Reboot
Bungie recently made headlines with the announcement of a reboot for the classic first-person shooter Marathon, set to release in 2023. However, the excitement surrounding the project has been overshadowed by allegations of stolen art assets being used in the game.
Independent artist Antireal brought attention to the issue, accusing Bungie of “recycling” some of her designs without permission. The studio has since responded by shifting blame to former employees, sparking discussions within the gaming community about creative ethics and the treatment of independent artists.
Antireal’s claims gained traction on social media, with the artist pointing out similarities between her poster designs from 2017 and assets in the Marathon alpha build. Despite the controversy, Antireal has stated that she does not plan to pursue legal action against Bungie.
In response to the allegations, Bungie conducted an investigation and acknowledged that a former artist had included the disputed assets in the game. The studio has reached out to Antireal to resolve the issue and provide compensation, emphasizing their commitment to respecting artists’ work.
Moving forward, Bungie has pledged to implement stricter policies to prevent similar incidents in the future, including thorough checks on all in-game assets and proper documentation of contributing artists. This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of ethical practices in the gaming industry.
