Yesterday, we touched on the news that Bungie was undergoing layoffs and that the developer would be losing up to half of its total employees all following moving on from Destiny 2. At the time, no official layoff figures were provided, but new information from the State of Washington claims that 292 employees have been affected by the decision and that this spans not just Bungie but also Sony Interactive Entertainment.
The latter was confirmed in an open letter shared by SIE CEO Herman Hulst, who confirms the SIE individuals being laid off relate to those who "support Bungie's operations".
Hulst's letter even explains how this situation developed, noting that "this decision was made only after extensive discussion and careful consideration," and that after several months of reviewing the direction of the developer and multiple alternatives being explored, the clear only solution was a reduction in staff to "align the studio's resources with its current priorities and long-term goals."
What Hulst does affirm is that Marathon is still a key and important part of Bungie's future and SIE as a whole, with plans for plenty of support for the game. That being said, "some Marathon team members" have been laid off as well, with exact figures yet to be clarified.
Hulst does also touch on the future of Bungie and how there are "incubation efforts for future projects" and that while these are still in early development, "we are encouraged by the creativity and opportunities that lie ahead."