Bungie Claims Former Employee Responsible for Stolen Art in ‘Marathon’ Alpha
An anonymous reader shared this report from Kotaku, highlighting the controversy surrounding Bungie’s ‘Marathon’ project. One of the most striking aspects of ‘Marathon’ is its presentation, which blends bleak settings with bright colors to create a unique aesthetic reminiscent of a sneaker promo or ‘Ghost in the Shell.’ However, recent developments have cast a shadow over the project’s design process.
Bluesky user antire.alâ claimed that several visual design elements in the recent alpha test were lifted from work she created in 2017. She shared images showing the similarities between her designs and the game’s visuals, including a rotated version of her own logo. A poster filled with small repeating icon patterns appeared to be nearly recreated in the Marathon press kit ARG and website.
Bungie responded to the allegations, blaming the incident on a former employee. The studio confirmed that a former Bungie artist included the artwork in a texture sheet that was ultimately used in-game. The company emphasized its policy of not using artists’ work without permission and committed to doing right by all contributors. They have also announced plans to conduct a full review of in-game assets and implement stricter checks to document all artist contributions.
While the incident has raised questions about internal processes at Bungie, the studio has reaffirmed its commitment to respecting the rights of all artists who contribute to its games. The situation underscores the importance of proper attribution and ethical practices in the creative industry.