According toBloomberg, Christopher Barrett was just laid off fromBungieafter being with the company for 25 years. Allegedly, several female employees accused Barrett of sexual harassment and inappropriate comments.
The industry veteran had humble beginnings, starting as the company’s artist. Barrett had his breakthrough with projects such as Destiny, Myth, andHalo, where he took the mantle of executive director.
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Most recently, he was the lead behindMarathon, an old title that was givena new lease on life after 26 years.
Then, out of the blue in March this year, he stepped down from the project, giving Joe Ziegler the full reign. The move was met with disbelief, especially because Barrett was well-loved within the broader circles.
An Abuse Of His Powers
What we didn’t know is that Barrett was underinternal investigationthroughout early 2024. At least eight female employees accused him ofabusing his power to get intimate with them.
The accusers claim Barret would befriend them and exchange numbers, after which he would send them flirtatious messages.
He would also mention his wealth, which caused a financial imbalance between the two parties.
Many female colleagues said they almost felt forced to spend time with him, given that he was one of the company’s higher-ups.
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As it usually goes,the accomplished director denied all the accusations, for the most part dismissing them as inadvertent mistakes.
Here is what Barrett had to say about the whole ordeal:
I feel that I have always conducted myself with integrity and been respectful and supportive of my colleagues, many of whom I consider my closest friends. I never understood my communications to be unwanted and I would have never thought they could possibly have made anyone feel uncomfortable. If anyone ever felt that way about their interaction with me, I am truly sorry.
The entire situation came at the most inopportune time for the company.
Bungie is experiencing numerous struggles with its flagship product,Destiny 2. We also can’t neglect the issues with their partner, Sony, and numerous layoffs in the last year or so.
The main fallout of this situation is thatMarathonwill likely bedelayed until 2025. Given everything that has been happening, don’t be surprised if the game is half-done when it hits the shelves.
