Bungie CEO Pete Parsons is departing the corporate after 23 years and almost 10 as CEO. He’s succeeded by Justin Truman, at present chief improvement officer and fellow Bungie veteran.
In a weblog publish on the official Bungie web site, Parsons wrote:
After I was requested to steer Bungie in 2015, my purpose was to develop us right into a studio able to creating and sustaining iconic, generation-spanning leisure. We’ve been by way of a lot collectively: we launched a daring new chapter for Future, constructed an enviable, unbiased dwell ops group able to creating and publishing its personal video games, and joined the unbelievable household at Sony Interactive Leisure.
As we speak marks the appropriate time for a brand new starting. The way forward for Bungie will probably be within the arms of a brand new era of leaders, and I’m thrilled to announce that Justin Truman will probably be entering into management as Bungie’s new Studio Head.
Parsons has overseen Bungie throughout many turbulent years, first taking up as CEO in 2016 from Harold Ryan and overseeing its break from Activision in 2019. He was on the helm all through lots of the occasions catalogued in our 2021 expose of Bungie’s inner work tradition. Although these we spoke to reported that Bungie had been poisonous and hostile towards ladies specifically previous to Parsons taking cost, in addition they informed IGN that he was often gradual or reluctant to take motion when points had been reported, and even appeared clueless as to how one can reign in downside workers. Parsons apologized on the time, saying, “Our actions or, in some instances, inactions, brought about these individuals ache. I apologize personally and on behalf of everybody at Bungie who I do know really feel a deep sense of empathy and unhappiness studying by way of these accounts.”
Simply months after our report, Bungie was acquired by Sony for $3.7 billion, ending the studio’s flirtation with independence. Because the acquistion settled in, issues started to come up about Bungie’s future. Future 2 was struggling, and upcoming recreation Marathon was nonetheless years away. In 2023, Bungie laid off roughly 100 people and delayed Future 2’s The Remaining Form DLC, with Parsons taking duty for the layoffs. Builders informed IGN on the time that the ambiance at Bungie was “soul-crushing” as fears grew of a complete Sony takeover of the corporate. In 2024, this was adopted up with much more layoffs, impacting 220 individuals this time, regardless of The Remaining Form’s success. 155 individuals had been additionally built-in from Bungie into Sony right now. Troubles continued to rock the studio by way of 2024 and into 2025, with Marathon seeing a delay out of September of this yr to an unknown future date.
It is on this surroundings – Future 2 struggling, Marathon delayed, a smaller workers, and Sony looming, that Parsons departs the corporate. He leaves it to Justin Truman, who started at Bungie as a developer 15 years in the past engaged on Future 1 and who has since labored his method as much as chief improvement officer and now studio head.
After we’re at our greatest – we create these worlds alongside you, our participant group, and construct one thing that issues. One thing that’s value your time, your ardour, and your funding in us. One thing that I’ve discovered, hopefully, overdelivers.
I’ve additionally been a part of these efforts at Bungie once we’ve possibly not been at our greatest. After we’ve stumbled and realized by way of listening to our group that we had missed the mark. I do know I’ve personally discovered lots through the years, as have all of us right here, from these conversations.
I’m dedicated to supporting and dealing alongside each member of the crew right here as we proceed pouring our hearts and souls into these worlds. Worlds that we love, and that we hope have been value your time and your ardour. As a result of in the end these worlds solely exist, and thrive, with you in them.
We’re exhausting at work proper now doing that – each with Marathon and Future. We’re at present heads down, however we’ll have extra to indicate you in each of those worlds later this yr.
Per Bungie’s social media publish, Parsons is retiring and can seemingly not stay on the studio.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You will discover her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Obtained a narrative tip? Ship it to rvalentine@ign.com.
