Pete Parsons, general director of Bungie, leaves the company after 23 years and almost 10 as CEO. The successor is Justin Truman, currently development director and veteran Bungie.
IN Blog post on the official Bungie websiteParsons wrote:
When I was asked to lead Bungie in 2015, my goal was to grow us in a studio capable of creating and maintaining iconic entertainment, covering the generation. We walked so much: we launched a fresh chapter for Destiny, we built an enviable, independent live organization, capable of creating and publishing our own games, and joined the Incredible Family in Sony Interactive Entertainment.
Today is the right time for a fresh beginning. The future of Bungie will be in the hands of the fresh generation of leaders and I am glad that Justin Truman will have leadership as the fresh head of Studio Bungie.
Parsons supervised Bungie for many turbulent years, first taking over the function of general director in 2016 from Harold Ryan and supervising his break from Activision in 2019. He was at the forefront by many events cataloged in our exhibition of Bungie’s internal work culture. Although those we talked to, they reported that Bungie was toxic and hostile to women, in particular before taking over Parsons’ control, they also said that he was often snail-paced or reluctant to take action when problems were reported, and even seemed unaware of how to prevail problem employees. Parsons apologized at that time, saying: “Our actions or, in some cases, caused these people pain. We apologize in person and in the name of everyone in the bungie I know, they feel a deep sense of empathy and sadness, reading these relationships.”
Just a few months after our report, Bungie was taken over by Sony for $ 3.7 billion, ending the Flirt Studio Independence. As the acquisitions fall, fears of the future of Bungie began to appear. Destiny 2 fought, and the upcoming game marathon was still in years. In 2023, Bungie dismissed about 100 people and delayed Destiny 2 DLC, and Parsons is responsible for the exemptions. The developers then said Ign that the atmosphere in Bungie was “crushing soul” when the fears grew a complete takeover of the company by Sony. In 2024, then even more dismissals appeared, affecting 220 people this time, despite the success of the final shape. At that time, 155 people were also integrated from Bungie to Sony. Troubles continued to shook the studio until 2024 and 2025, and Marathon sees a delay from September this year to an unknown future date.
It is in this environment – Destiny 2 fighting, delayed marathon, smaller staff and Sony Killing, which Parsons leaves the company. He leaves Justin Truman, who started in Bungie as a developer 15 years ago, working on Destiny 1 and who since then went to the development director, and now the head of the studio.
When we are the best – we create these worlds next to you, our players’ community and build something that matters. Something that is worth your time, your passion and investment in us. Something I have learned, I hope, excessively deleted.
I was also part of these efforts in Bungie, when maybe we were not in the best. When we came across and realized, listening to our community that we missed the sign. I know that I personally learned a lot for years, just like everyone here, from these conversations.
I am involved in supporting and working with every member of the team here, when he still spills our hearts and souls to these worlds. The worlds we love and we hope were worth your time and your passion. Because ultimately these worlds only exist and develop with you.
We are currently working demanding – both with a marathon and destiny. We are currently down, but we will have more to show you in both of these worlds this year.
Bungie Post on social mediaParsons retires and apparently will not stay in the studio.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior Ign reporter. You can find her post on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.skyla. Do you have a hint with history? Send it to ralentine@ign.com.
