Former Marathon Director Chris Barrett Takes Legal Action Against Sony and Bungie Over Alleged Wrongful Termination

Image by Bungie/PlayStation.

Christopher Barrett, the director of Bungie’s Marathon prior to his termination in March, has initiated a lawsuit against his previous employer and Sony. According to VentureBeat, he claims he was dismissed to enable the two companies to potentially evade a $45 million compensation from his employment contract.

Barrett was let go from the Destiny 2 developer due to allegations of misconduct and “inappropriate behavior” toward at least eight women across different departments within the studio. In August, Bloomberg published a report suggesting he informed female employees that he could assist them in “advancing their careers” and sent them a “cascade” of unsolicited text messages.

At that moment, Barrett told the outlet he was “consistently respectful and supportive” of his colleagues and extended an apology to anyone he made uncomfortable through his actions. Before his dismissal, he had been part of Bungie since 1999, working as a designer on several games, Destiny 2 included, and held a high-level executive role in the studio.

Barrett’s claims against Sony and Bungie

In his lawsuit, he asserts that Bungie and Sony “intentionally tarnished [his] reputation. […] The defendants showed no concern that none of it was factual; they had clear motivations for their audacious plan.”

“Barrett was never inquired whether he had ever participated in inappropriate sexual behavior… or whether he retaliated against any colleague for rejecting his advances or discriminated against a female coworker based on her gender,” it continues. “Barrett was not asked these questions because he did not engage in, nor has he been accused of, any such behavior.”

In a separate statement, Barrett acknowledged that he has “faced rampant speculation, baseless attacks on my reputation, and insinuations about the circumstances surrounding my termination after 25 years of service.” He initiated his lawsuit hoping to “hold Bungie and Sony accountable for their actions and the harm inflicted on my reputation and career.”

“I am confident that the facts are on my side and look forward to vindicating my name in the judicial process,” he concluded.

This marks the latest chapter in a tumultuous year for Bungie, which terminated 220 employees following the release of Destiny 2: The Final Shape in June. Prior to that, employees suggested to IGN in 2021 that the studio had been fostering a culture of sexism and sexual harassment.

Game Developer has reached out to Sony and Bungie for comments and will provide updates when a response is received.

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