Bungie Initiates 'Thorough Review' After Uncredited Artwork Use Revealed

Bungie, the developer behind Destiny 2, is facing fresh accusations of plagiarism. This time, an artist named Antireal has claimed that Bungie used elements of their artwork without permission in the environments of the upcoming sci-fi shooter, Marathon. Antireal shared screenshots from Marathon's alpha playtest on social media, highlighting specific icons and graphics that they allege were originally shared on social media back in 2017.

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 on X/Twitter, Antireal expressed frustration, noting that while Bungie is not obligated to hire them, it was disappointing to see their work used without compensation or credit. The artist also lamented the broader issue of major companies frequently using their designs without permission, making it difficult to earn a consistent income from their work.

Bungie responded swiftly, launching an investigation and attributing the issue to a former employee. While not issuing a public apology, the company 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," the team said in a statement. "This issue was unknown by our existing art team, and we are still reviewing how this oversight occurred.

"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.

"To prevent similar issues in the future, we are conducting a thorough review of our in-game assets, specifically those done by the former Bungie artist, and implementing stricter checks to document all artist contributions. We value the creativity and dedication of all artists who contribute to our games, and we are committed to doing right by them. Thank you for bringing this to our attention."

This is not the first time Bungie has faced such accusations. In October, the studio was sued by a writer who claimed the studio stole plot elements from his story for Destiny 2's 2017 storyline, The Red War. Although Bungie attempted to dismiss the lawsuit, a judge denied the request as the studio struggled to provide evidence, especially after "vaulting" the content, making it no longer publicly accessible.

Additionally, just weeks before the lawsuit was filed, Bungie launched another investigation into how a NERF gun based on Destiny 2's iconic Ace of Spades was almost entirely copied from fanart designed in 2015, down to the smallest details.