The conversation around Bungie, Destiny 2, Marathon, and the future of the studio has reached a boiling point. With Destiny fans still pushing hard for Destiny 3, former Bungie community manager Liana Ruppert has now stepped into the debate with a statement that is already dividing the community.
In a recent post shared on X, Ruppert said, “Half the community is going to hate me for saying this, but the only way to keep Bungie alive right now is to support Marathon.” According to her, players comparing Marathon’s numbers directly to Destiny are missing the point, because Marathon was never designed to perform like Destiny.
Former Bungie Community Manager Makes a Bold Marathon Statement
Marathon has become more than just Bungie’s next major game. For many fans, it has become the symbol of everything they feel went wrong with Destiny 2. The timing has made things even messier, especially as Destiny players continue to ask why the franchise is slowing down while Bungie’s extraction shooter gets the spotlight.
Ruppert’s argument is that Marathon should not be treated as the reason Destiny suffered. Instead, she suggested that the bigger problems came from internal leadership decisions and the studio’s financial situation. In her view, supporting Marathon does not mean giving up on Destiny. It means helping Bungie stay valuable enough for Sony to keep investing in it.
Ruppert Says Bungie Was In Trouble Before Sony
The comments did not stop there. In another exchange, Ruppert pushed back against the idea that Sony alone caused Bungie’s current situation. She claimed that Bungie was already “below the red line” before the Sony acquisition and said the studio was very close to shutting its doors, at least when it came to Destiny. Also, she described the Sony deal as an “emergency acquisition.”
Sony officially completed its acquisition of Bungie in July 2022, with the final consideration listed at approximately $3.7 billion, including purchase price and committed employee incentives.
Destiny Fans Are Still Asking For Destiny 3
The main reason this topic has exploded is simple. Destiny fans do not want the franchise to end in a quiet or uncertain way. The demand for Destiny 3 has grown louder, and many players see Marathon as the game standing in the way of that future.
Ruppert’s stance is almost the opposite. She appears to believe that Marathon doing well could actually help Bungie survive long enough to make future Destiny projects possible. If Marathon is seen as a failure, the risk is that Bungie loses more creative control and becomes less of a production studio in Sony’s wider network.
Marathon Is Not Destiny, And That Is The Problem
One of the biggest issues here is expectation. Destiny is a massive live service looter shooter with years of history, emotional investment, raids, expansions, characters, and a deeply loyal community. Marathon is a PvPvE extraction shooter set in a very different kind of sandbox. Bungie’s official Marathon site describes it as a team-based extraction shooter where players scavenge the lost colony of Tau Ceti IV, fight rival Runners, and exfil with loot.
The Bungie Community Is Split Again
Ruppert’s comments are already creating two very different reactions. Some players agree that supporting Bungie’s current project is the most realistic path forward. Others feel that buying or promoting Marathon sends the wrong message after years of frustration with Destiny 2.
Both sides have a point. Destiny fans are not wrong to feel disappointed. Bungie built one of the most passionate communities in gaming, and that kind of loyalty does not disappear quietly. At the same time, if Marathon is the project currently keeping Bungie commercially relevant, then its performance could shape what happens next.
Right now, Bungie is in one of the most delicate moments in its history. Marathon needs to prove it has a future, Destiny fans want clarity, and Sony will likely be watching the numbers closely.
Ruppert’s message may be unpopular, but it is also brutally direct. If fans want Bungie to survive as a studio capable of making big games, Marathon may matter more than many Destiny players want to admit.
