Bungie has replaced Christopher Barrett with former Valorant director Joe Ziegler as the game director for their upcoming revival of the classic shooter Marathon. Reports suggest that the studio is undergoing another creative leadership shake-up in an effort to release Marathon before the summer of 2026, with the game's direction already shifting under Ziegler's leadership. This comes after Bungie's recent layoffs and delays in both Marathon and Destiny 2's expansion, The Final Shape.
Bungie is undergoing a creative leadership shakeup, with former Valorant game director Joe Ziegler taking over as game director for the PvP reimagining of classic 90s shooter series Marathon. The shakeup follows studio layoffs and delays, with Ziegler expressing excitement about the project as it progresses towards release.
Bungie has replaced Christopher Barrett as the game director for Marathon with Joe Ziegler, the former game director of Valorant. Ziegler confirmed the move on Twitter and mentioned ongoing development. The change comes amid internal anxiety at Bungie following layoffs last year, with the company reportedly focusing resources on getting Marathon released. Under Ziegler's leadership, the game's development has seen changes, including players selecting from a group of characters instead of custom characters. Marathon's release date is still unknown, but it will be available for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
Bungie is replacing Christopher Barrett with former Valorant game director Joe Ziegler as the game director for its upcoming service game, Marathon. Amid fears of layoffs and leadership shakeups, the studio is reportedly prioritizing the release of Marathon and the upcoming Destiny 2 expansion, The Final Shape. There are concerns about financial targets and the future of the studio following Sony's acquisition, with growing expectations of senior leadership departures in 2026.
