Bungie, the video game studio behind massive hits like ‘Halo,’ has admitted to using unlicensed art in its upcoming game ‘Marathon.’ The development team for ‘Marathon’—an extraction shooter based on one of the company’s oldest intellectual properties—began investigating the claims earlier this week after the artist known as 4nt1r34l, or Antireal, alleged that art in the just-released alpha contained images lifted directly from posters she designed and posted online back in 2017. According to a tweet from the MarathonDevTeam Twitter account, Bungie “immediately investigated a concern regarding unauthorized use of artist decals in ‘Marathon’ and confirmed that a former Bungie artist included these in a texture sheet that was ultimately used in-game.” Screenshots posted by Antireal show multiple instances where her work was incorporated into the game, which Bungie developers have acknowledged. “This issue was unknown by our existing art team, and we are still reviewing how this oversight occurred,” the team wrote on social media.
“We take matters like this very seriously. We have reached out to [Antireal] to discuss this issue and are committed to doing right by the artist.” The company noted that they intend to conduct a full review of art assets for the game, which is set for a full release in September. Fran Hook, the artist behind the pseudonym Antireal, commented on the situation, stating, “It was kind of vindicating to see direct plagiarism because it meant I wasn’t crazy for feeling so uncomfortable with the overall direction.
I kept quiet about it because I was advised to seek legal action, but I don’t have enough time or money to fly out to the U.S. to pursue an unwinnable court case against [Bungie owner] Sony.”
As Bungie moves forward, the focus is expected to remain on ensuring all content in ‘Marathon’ is properly vetted to prevent further controversies.
Bungie audits ‘Marathon’ art assets
The timing of these accusations is particularly troubling for Bungie, coming on the heels of a mixed-to-negative reception to both the gameplay reveal and the Closed Alpha of “Marathon.”
Internal sources at Bungie have shared insights into the situation, pointing to “free-fall” morale across all departments.
Employees are worried about the future of the studio should “Marathon” fail, a scenario they cannot afford. The studio is also undertaking an extensive audit of game assets to ensure no further instances of plagiarism exist. This process has already impacted marketing strategies, with Bungie deciding to cancel its planned trailer release in June and a pre-order launch.
Instead, they are considering changing the heavily marketed Public Beta in August to a series of public playtests, though specific details have yet to be finalized. Given the need for asset auditing, a reworked marketing campaign, and updated playtest plans, doubts are mounting about the feasibility of launching “Marathon” in just four months. While there are no official indicators of a delay, various sources suggest that even additional months of development may not address the game’s more fundamental issues, which extend beyond presentation and playtesting to its core concept.
Despite the controversies and uncertainties, Bungie must navigate these challenges carefully to prevent further harm to the game’s reputation and, by extension, the future of the studio.
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