Bungie once considered a subscription model for its online shooter Destiny, but the idea was “vehemently shut down” by management.
Destiny 2 went free-to-play in 2019, but players need to pay for the most recent DLC expansions. There’s also a store for paid cosmetics.
Other MMOs, such as World of Warcraft or Final Fantasy 14, run on a subscription model, where players pay a monthly fee for access. According to a new report, Bungie considered this but management decided against it.
The news comes as part of a report into the current state of Bungie, following word last week that Bungie morale is in “free fall” following the fallout of stolen assets used in its next game, Marathon.
YouTuber and journalist Destin Legarie has spoken to former employees this week. Bungie management were described as “toxic and shut down creatives on a core level”, with one former employee stating: “If [management] didn’t think of it, it wasn’t worth doing.”
In this context, when one employee brought up the possibility of a subscription model, it was reportedly “vehemently shut down”.
In another example, management was concerned the glowing Trials of Osiris PvP armour was too attractive, which would impact sales of armours in the Eververse store. Decisions by management “prioritised monetisation over player experience”, a former Bungie employee said. Another added: “Everything happening to Bungie is because of greed.”
One former employee surmised: “Bungie’s problems stem from a lack of player empathy, disconnected leadership, and a corporate-first culture.”
Eurogamer has contacted Bungie for comment.
In 2024, Bungie CEO Peter Parsons was criticised for spending millions of dollars on classic cars. This news followed a round of layoffs where 220 staff, roughly 17 percent of the company’s workforce, lost their jobs.
Last week, Bungie admitted to including designs in Marathon without the artist’s consent. And this wasn’t the first time Bungie had made this mistake.
The company showed off Marathon back in April. It’s a PvP extraction shooter set to release on 23rd September this year.