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. “I’m super proud of the project and what the team accomplished over the last six years,” he said, reflecting on his exit.
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.”
It’s always surprising to see key team members leave just before a big release. I hope the team can adapt smoothly and still deliver a great game. Wishing everyone involved the best moving forward!
It really is surprising! Changes like this can definitely impact the overall vision of a game. Hopefully, the team has a solid plan in place to maintain cohesion and keep the project on track. It’ll be interesting to see how the final product turns out!