Bungie Initiates Comprehensive Review Following Discovery of Uncredited Art Usage

Bungie, the developer behind Destiny 2, is facing renewed accusations of plagiarism, this time related to its upcoming sci-fi shooter, Marathon. The latest claim comes from artist Antireal, who alleges that Bungie used elements of their artwork in the game's environments without permission or credit. Screenshots from Marathon's alpha playtest, shared on social media, show what Antireal claims are distinct icons and graphics from their 2017 designs.

the Marathon alpha released recently and its environments are covered with assets lifted from poster designs i made in 2017.@Bungie @josephacross pic.twitter.com/0Csbo48Jgb

— N² (@4nt1r34l) May 15, 2025

In a statement posted on X/Twitter, Antireal expressed frustration over the unauthorized use of their work, emphasizing the struggle to make a living as an artist while major companies exploit their designs. "Bungie is, of course, not obligated to hire me when making a game that draws overwhelmingly from the same design language I have refined for the last decade, but clearly my work was good enough to pillage for ideas and plaster all over their game without pay or attribution," the artist stated.

Bungie responded promptly, launching an investigation and attributing the issue to a former employee. The studio stated, "We 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. This issue was unknown by our existing art team, and we are still reviewing how this oversight occurred."

The company emphasized its commitment to rectifying the situation and ensuring proper artist recognition in the future. "We take matters like this very seriously. We have reached out to [the artist] to discuss this issue and are committed to do right by the artist. As a matter of policy, we do not use the work of artists without their permission," Bungie added. They also announced plans for a thorough review of in-game assets and the implementation of stricter checks to document artist contributions.

This incident is not isolated. In October, Bungie faced a lawsuit from a writer who claimed the studio stole plot elements from his story for Destiny 2's 2017 storyline, The Red War. The studio attempted to dismiss the lawsuit, but a judge denied the request as Bungie struggled to provide evidence, especially since the content had been "vaulted" and was no longer accessible to the public.

Additionally, just weeks before the lawsuit was filed, Bungie investigated how a NERF gun based on Destiny 2's Ace of Spades was nearly identical to fanart from 2015, down to the smallest details. These repeated accusations highlight ongoing concerns about intellectual property and artist rights within the gaming industry.