Bungie Initiates 'Thorough Review' Following Discovery of Uncredited Artwork Usage

The ongoing debate over plagiarism allegations against Bungie resurfaced once more as another artist accused the studio of borrowing elements from their artwork for the highly anticipated sci-fi shooter, Marathon. This marks yet another instance following multiple claims from artists and writers who accused Bungie of using their creations without proper acknowledgment or compensation.

In recent developments, artist Antireal claimed that parts of their poster designs from 2017 were visibly incorporated into the game’s environment during the alpha playtest phase. Screenshots shared via social media highlighted these similarities, sparking controversy.

Antireal expressed frustration in a public statement, noting that while Bungie isn’t legally bound to involve them directly, the reuse of their work without recognition or payment felt exploitative. They mentioned exhaustion from repeated instances where large corporations opted to mimic or outright copy their designs rather than seek collaboration.

Promptly responding to the allegations, Bungie initiated an internal probe. Although no formal apology was issued, the studio admitted fault in allowing unauthorized artist decals to slip into Marathon. Acknowledging the mistake originated with a past employee, Bungie assured efforts were underway to rectify the situation.

"We take matters like this very seriously," stated Bungie in their official response. "We have reached out to the artist to address concerns and are determined to handle this appropriately. Moving forward, we will conduct a comprehensive audit of in-game assets created under previous employees and enforce stricter protocols for tracking contributions."

This incident follows other plagiarism controversies involving Bungie. Earlier this year, a lawsuit was filed accusing the studio of appropriating narrative elements from a writer’s unpublished manuscript for Destiny 2’s 2017 expansion, The Red War. Despite attempts to dismiss the case, judicial intervention required Bungie to produce evidence, complicating their defense strategy.

Additionally, scrutiny arose surrounding the creation of a NERF Ace of Spades replica, which mirrored fanart from 2015 down to minor details. Investigations into this matter also remain unresolved.

As Bungie navigates these challenges, the gaming community continues to scrutinize the studio’s creative practices, emphasizing the importance of ethical sourcing and respect for intellectual property.