Destiny 2 developer Bungie finds itself embroiled in another plagiarism controversy after an independent artist accused the studio of appropriating their work for the environments of upcoming sci-fi shooter Marathon.

Artist Alleges Uncredited Use of 2017 Designs

The latest claims follow previous allegations from multiple artists and a writer about unauthorized use of their creative work. Artist Antireal posted side-by-side comparisons showing their distinctive icon designs appearing in Marathon's alpha build - designs originally shared on social media 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

"Tired of Major Companies Parasitizing My Work"

In an emotional statement, the artist described the financial struggle of seeing their designs appropriated by corporations: "In 10 years, I've never earned consistent income from this work while big-budget designers moodboard and replicate my concepts without compensation."

Bungie Responds, Blames Former Employee

Bungie issued a statement within hours, acknowledging the unauthorized use but distancing current staff from responsibility:

"We've confirmed a former artist included these decals in texture sheets without proper authorization. Our current team was unaware of this breach."

The company pledged to:

• Contact the affected artist
• Review all assets from the former employee
• Implement stricter documentation processes
• Compensate appropriately

A Troubling Pattern Emerges

This marks Bungie's third major plagiarism controversy in recent months:

1. A writer alleges Destiny 2's 2017 Red War campaign stole plot elements - litigation remains ongoing
2. An official NERF collaboration nearly replicated 2015 fanart down to precise weathering details
3. The current Marathon artwork controversy

With the Destiny 2 lawsuit progressing and new accusations surfacing, Bungie faces mounting scrutiny over its creative processes and attribution practices.