Bungie's Marathon Has Lost Its Art Director Just Months Before Release

"Joseph Cross, the art director on Bungie's upcoming extraction shooter Marathon, is leaving just months before the game's release. Cross's exit comes just after the game was finally announced for a March 2026 release, following an indefinite delay prompted by underwhelming player feedback on the shooter's alpha tests. Cross's departure from Bungie was tipped by an update to his LinkedIn page and social accounts, and he confirmed to Kotaku that it was his choice to leave."

"After years of work on Destiny as lead concept artist, Cross returned to Bungie in 2020 to help shape the visual style for Marathon. The extraction shooter is looking to be one of Bungie's most visually unique titles, with a bold aesthetic named by Cross as "graphic realism." Marathon's unique art style became a point of controversy earlier this year when graphic artist Antireal accused Bungie of art theft, tagging both Bungie and Joseph Cross in a callout post on X. Bungie said the stolen assets originated with an artist who was no longer with the studio. Antireal has since said that the issue has been resolved to her satisfaction."

"Cross has now posted about his departure on X, reiterating the pride he has in his work on Marathon. "Getting support at this scale for something a bit different is rare, and the art team at Bungie is the best in the biz. I'll be enjoying playing the game as a fan with all of you.""

Joseph Cross left Bungie months before Marathon's planned March 2026 launch and confirmed the departure was his choice. The release date followed an indefinite delay after underwhelming player feedback during alpha tests. Cross returned to Bungie in 2020 after years on Destiny to help define Marathon's visual style, which he called "graphic realism." The art style prompted an art-theft accusation earlier in the year that Bungie attributed to a former employee and that the accuser later said was resolved. Marathon will release on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X at a $40 launch price.

Read at GameSpot