Key Takeaways
- Forbes’ Paul Tassi reports that the “vast majority” of Bungie staff were not told about Destiny 2’s development ending before the public announcement on May 21, 2026
- Only two groups reportedly knew in advance: staff already working on Monument of Triumph, the game’s final update, and developers who had already transitioned to Marathon
- Developers were actively building a scrapped expansion called Shattered Cycle when the announcement dropped, work that will never ship
- The communication breakdown comes as Bungie faces a third wave of significant layoffs, with no Destiny 3 greenlit and Marathon struggling to fill the commercial gap
When Bungie revealed on May 21 that Destiny 2’s final content update would launch June 9 before live-service development ends for good, fans were shocked.
But according to Forbes journalist Paul Tassi, most of Bungie’s own staff reportedly learned about the decision at the same time as everyone else online. For a studio of around 800 developers who spent years building Destiny, that hit hard.
The story has quickly shifted from a routine studio announcement to something far more personal, exposing the human side behind Destiny 2’s uncertain future, aligning closely with recent Bungie layoffs that continue to shake worker confidence across the industry.
Who Knew, Who Didn’t, and What Was Still Being Built
According to Paul Tassi’s report, only a small portion of Bungie staff, those working on Destiny 2’s final June 9 update, Monument of Triumph, and developers already moved to Marathon, were aware that the live-service shutdown was coming.
The majority of the studio reportedly learned about it at the same time as the public announcement.
What makes the situation more painful is that teams were still actively developing Shattered Cycle, while the previously announced expansion, The Alchemist, had also been in production before both were abruptly cancelled.
Years of work were effectively shelved without release or recognition, underscoring broader gaming trends where live-service sustainability issues force sudden project cancellations.
Destiny 2’s Steam player count dropped from about 26,000 in January 2026 to under 11,000 by May, suggesting leadership likely tracked the decline for months before making the final decision, adding tension to an already difficult studio moment.
What This Means for the People Left Behind
Monument of Triumph, the free final update arriving June 9, will bring back Sparrow Racing League permanently, refresh raid and dungeon loot, add a new rewards pass with an exotic hand cannon, and release Destiny 2: The Collection the same day.
After that, active development ends completely; no seasons, expansions, or story updates.
With roughly 400 Bungie developers shifting to Marathon, and the project still struggling commercially, much of the Destiny 2 team now faces uncertainty.
Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier reports that major layoffs are expected after the transition, with no clear timeline given.
The lack of transparency around the game’s ending mirrors how internal decisions were communicated, leaving many staff learning details late or indirectly.
It reflects a wider 2026 broader industry trend where difficult studio changes and corporate restructurings are tightly controlled until the very last moment. For players, June 9 is a farewell; for many developers, it may be an unexpected one too.
Source: More Details About The End Of ‘Destiny 2’ From Inside Bungie
