Bungie Loses Former Destiny Artist and Marathon Art Director Amid Resolved Controversy

Marathon’s art director Joseph Cross is leaving Bungie just a few months ahead of the game’s launch in March 2026.

Cross shared the news on his LinkedIn and social media, emphasizing that his departure is amicable. “I’m incredibly proud of the visual world we built for Marathon,” he stated on Twitter. “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. Massive thank you to everyone who has supported through all of it.”

The lead on Marathon and a former concept artist for Destiny also mentioned that his decision to leave was personal. “I’m super proud of the project and what the team accomplished over the last six years.”

Earlier this year, Marathon’s unique art style sparked controversy when indie artist Fern Hook, known as Antireal, accused the studio of using her designs without permission or compensation. Bungie acknowledged the issue, clarifying that a former artist had mistakenly included Antireal’s designs on a decal sheet that made its way into the game’s playtests.

After a thorough review of the game, which likely involved removing any unauthorized art, Hook confirmed that the situation was resolved earlier this month.

Around the same time, Bungie officially revealed details about the upcoming shooter, announcing that Marathon would be priced at $40 and feature decaying corpses.

Almost 11 years after the launch of Destiny 1, a former Bungie CEO remarked that live service models aren’t suitable for every game, stating, “It’s pretty clear that we can’t just pick a business model and say that’s a reason to make a game.”