In their statement, Antireal expressed frustration, noting that despite their work being used by major companies, they have struggled to earn a consistent income. \\\"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,\\\" they stated.

Bungie responded swiftly, initiating an investigation and identifying a former employee as the source of the unauthorized use. \\\"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 studio explained in a statement. \\\"This issue was unknown by our existing art team, and we are still reviewing how this oversight occurred.\\\"

Bungie emphasized their commitment to rectifying the situation and preventing future incidents. \\\"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,\\\" they stated. The studio also announced plans to review all in-game assets and implement stricter checks to document artist contributions.

This incident is part of a pattern of allegations against Bungie. In October, the studio faced a lawsuit from a writer who claimed Bungie stole plot elements for Destiny 2\\'s 2017 storyline, The Red War. Despite Bungie\\'s attempt 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 investigated the unauthorized use of a NERF gun design inspired by Destiny 2\\'s Ace of Spades, which was almost entirely copied from fanart created in 2015, down to the smallest details.

Home News Bungie Initiates 'Thorough Review' After Uncredited Artwork Incident

Bungie Initiates 'Thorough Review' After Uncredited Artwork Incident

Author : Adam Update : May 18,2025

Bungie, the developer behind Destiny 2, is facing fresh allegations of plagiarism, this time related to their upcoming sci-fi shooter, Marathon. Artist Antireal has accused Bungie of incorporating elements of their artwork into the game's environments without permission or credit. Antireal shared screenshots from Marathon's alpha playtest on X/Twitter, highlighting icons and graphics they originally posted 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 their statement, Antireal expressed frustration, noting that despite their work being used by major companies, they have struggled to earn a consistent income. "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," they stated.

Bungie responded swiftly, initiating an investigation and identifying a former employee as the source of the unauthorized use. "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 studio explained in a statement. "This issue was unknown by our existing art team, and we are still reviewing how this oversight occurred."

Bungie emphasized their commitment to rectifying the situation and preventing future incidents. "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," they stated. The studio also announced plans to review all in-game assets and implement stricter checks to document artist contributions.

This incident is part of a pattern of allegations against Bungie. In October, the studio faced a lawsuit from a writer who claimed Bungie stole plot elements for Destiny 2's 2017 storyline, The Red War. Despite Bungie's attempt 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 investigated the unauthorized use of a NERF gun design inspired by Destiny 2's Ace of Spades, which was almost entirely copied from fanart created in 2015, down to the smallest details.