Bungie CEO Pete Parsons Steps Down After 23 Years, Justin Truman Takes Over

Pete Parsons and Justin Truman

Bungie has confirmed that longtime CEO Pete Parsons is stepping down after more than two decades with the studio. Parsons, who joined the company 23 years ago and became CEO in 2015, announced his departure in a blog post on Thursday.

In his farewell note, Parsons reflected on the journey of leading the studio behind iconic franchises like Halo and Destiny. He stated that building Bungie, launching the Bungie Foundation, and growing its global community of players had been the "honor of a lifetime." He also expressed pride in the worlds Bungie created and gratitude for working with "the incredible minds" at the studio.

Taking over the leadership role is Justin Truman, another Bungie veteran with 15 years at the company. Truman has worn many hats during his time there, from engineering and design work on Destiny to serving as the General Manager of Destiny 2. More recently, he has been involved in shaping Bungie’s development strategy and overseeing the upcoming Marathon project.

In his introduction as studio head, Truman emphasized Bungie’s mission of "creating worlds that inspire friendship." He acknowledged both the successes and missteps of the company but assured fans that Bungie remains committed to delivering meaningful experiences. He also confirmed that they are "hard at work right now" developing both Destiny 2 and Marathon, with more updates expected "later this year."

Bungie’s Recent Struggles

While Parsons’ tenure saw Bungie reach new heights with Destiny 2 as a live-service success, recent years have been far from smooth. Sony acquired Bungie for $3.6 billion in 2022, aiming to leverage the studio’s expertise in live-service games. However, the partnership hasn’t been without complications.

According to multiple reports, Bungie has faced layoffs, project cancellations, and growing criticism over its leadership. A planned Destiny spin-off, codenamed “Payback,” was canceled, while some developers were moved to form a new PlayStation studio called TeamLFG.

On the player side, Destiny 2’s popularity has been declining. Its major storyline arc, the “Light and Darkness Saga,” concluded with The Final Shape expansion in 2024. Subsequent content updates, including The Edge of Fate, have received mixed reviews.

The Future with Marathon

Bungie’s next big project, Marathon, is a revival of its classic 1990s series. The game was originally expected to launch in 2025 but has since been delayed following closed test feedback and controversy over stolen artwork appearing in early builds. Currently, Bungie and Sony plan to release it before March 31, 2026, the end of Sony’s financial year.

Despite the setbacks, Marathon remains one of Bungie’s most anticipated titles and is in development for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Sony has also noted in recent earnings calls that Bungie’s independence is “tightening,” signaling that the parent company is becoming more directly involved in its operations.

A New Chapter Ahead

Parsons leaves Bungie at a pivotal moment. The studio has a legacy of shaping first-person shooters, but now it faces the challenge of stabilizing its live-service model and proving itself with new IPs. With Justin Truman at the helm, Bungie’s immediate focus is on keeping the Destiny community engaged while ensuring Marathon meets expectations.