PlayStation’s Hermen Hulst Calls Bungie Layoffs “Necessary” In Memo To Staff

On Thursday, Bungie announced layoffs at the studio. Or, as they called it, a “reduction in force”. Following the announcement, however, a memo sent out by PlayStation CEO Hermen Hulst was published by PlayStation regarding the layoffs at Bungie.

In the memo, Hulst confirms that “most of the Destiny team and some Marathon team members” were let go. It was also said there were layoffs across Sony teams that support Bungie. An exact number, however, was not provided.

Hulst’s Full Memo On The Bungie Layoffs

In his message to the company, Hulst confirmed which teams were impacted by the layoffs at Bungie. He also called the news “painful” and said it was done after “extensive discussion and careful consideration”. He also said they were “necessary to align the studio’s resources with its current priorities and long-term goals.”

You can read Hulst’s full memo to the staff below, courtesy of PlayStation:

Dear Team, 

Today I want to share a difficult update regarding Bungie. 

We have made the decision to reduce Bungie’s workforce, affecting a significant number of employees, including most of the Destiny team and some Marathon team members. There are also reductions across SIE teams that support Bungie’s operations. Those impacted at Bungie and within SIE are being informed today. 

This is painful news, especially for talented colleagues whose roles have been eliminated. This decision was made only after extensive discussion and careful consideration, and I want to provide some context on how we arrived here. Over the past several months, together with Bungie leadership, we reviewed the studio’s long-term direction, development priorities, resource needs, and role within our broader portfolio strategy. We explored multiple alternatives before concluding that a reduction was necessary to align the studio’s resources with its current priorities and long-term goals. 

As Bungie recently shared in its Destiny 2 update, the studio has begun a new journey following the release of the game’s final live-service content update. What Bungie has accomplished with Destiny over the past decade has been truly remarkable. The franchise has left a lasting mark on players and the industry, and everyone who contributed to its success should be proud of what they helped create. 

Marathon remains an important part of our portfolio, and we will continue to support the team as they build on the strong foundation established in Season 1 and 2, and as they work on incubation efforts for future projects. While it’s too early to discuss, we are encouraged by the creativity and opportunities that lie ahead. 

Our immediate priority is supporting affected employees through this transition. We are providing transition support and, where possible, working to identify opportunities across SIE and our global network of studios. 

I want to sincerely thank every affected employee for their hard work, creativity, and contributions to Bungie, SIE, and the broader gaming community. 

I know today’s news is deeply difficult not only for those leaving, but for those colleagues and friends that remain. Please take the time you need to process this news and support one another.  

Thank you for your resilience and continued support during this difficult time. 

Hermen Hulst 
CEO, Studio Business Group