3 months earlier than launch, Marathon artwork director Joseph Cross departs from Bungie: 'I'm extremely pleased with the visible world we constructed'
This week, Bungie revealed a sweep of main modifications for Marathon, the placing growth shooter reboot of its pre-Halo sci-fi sequence, in reponse to the blended reception to its closed alpha earlier this 12 months. However whereas Bungie’s been laborious at work overhauling Marathon’s gameplay, it is also undergone a change in management: Simply three months earlier than its March 2026 launch, Marathon artwork director Joseph Cross has chosen to go away the studio.
The Recreation Put up noticed the primary indications that Cross had left Bungie, reporting that Cross’s LinkedIn profile now listed a 2025 finish date for his place as Bungie senior artwork director. Cross’s X account biography had additionally been up to date, eradicating a earlier point out of the studio. Cross has since confirmed to Kotaku that he’s not employed by Bungie, and that it was his choice to go away the studio.
I am extremely pleased with the visible world we constructed for Marathon. Getting help at this scale for one thing a bit completely different is uncommon, and the artwork workforce at Bungie is the very best within the biz. I will be having fun with enjoying the sport as a fan with all of you. Large thanks to everybody who…December 19, 2025
“I am extremely pleased with the visible world we constructed for Marathon. Getting help at this scale for one thing a bit completely different is uncommon, and the artwork workforce at Bungie is the very best within the biz,” Cross stated in an X put up revealed early this morning. “I will be having fun with enjoying the sport as a fan with all of you. Large thanks to everybody who has supported by all of it.”
Previous to his position as Marathon artwork director, Cross had spent greater than six years at Bungie as a lead idea artist contributing to the event of Future’s visible language. On his ArtStation account, you may hint a visual throughline of vibrant, geometric iconography in Cross’s Future work that bleeds by into Marathon’s cyberpunk acid design.
It was throughout Cross’s tenure as Marathon artwork lead that Bungie was pressured to acknowledge its fourth artwork theft scandal since 2021, after visible artist Antireal accused the studio of utilizing her designs with out credit score or permission in Marathon environmental artwork. In an announcement confirming the “oversight,” Bungie stated “a former Bungie artist” had included the “unauthorized” designs in Marathon’s texture sheets with out the present artwork workforce’s data.
Earlier this month, Antireal indicated that Bungie has since made good on its dedication to “do proper by the artist,” posting on X that “the Marathon artwork problem has been resolved with Bungie and Sony Interactive Leisure to my satisfaction.”
Cross’s departure from Bungie comes on the tail finish of a fraught improvement cycle, coinciding with the extended fallout of Bungie’s troubled acquisition by Sony. However after Marathon’s delay, the response to its reworked course has been usually optimistic. We are able to solely hope that interprets right into a desperately-needed win.