Joe Ziegler, the director of Bungie’s Marathon, has officially left the studio. His departure comes just months after the game's launch in March 2026.
Leadership Transition
In a statement regarding the change, Ziegler confirmed that the project's future is now in the hands of two long-time team members. Assistant game director Del Chafe III and creative director Julia Nardin will assume leadership roles to guide the game's ongoing development.
"Both of them have been operating in a strong leadership capacity for the team and are ready to guide Marathon into the next chapter with an even better and brighter future," Ziegler said. He expressed confidence in their ability to continue the work on what he described as "this crazy little world we’ve created together."
Ziegler's Future and Marathon's Path
Ziegler confirmed he is headed to a new, unnamed venture, promising updates on his next project soon. Regarding his time at Bungie, he thanked the community for their support during the "windy mission" of bringing the dark and terrifying space survival frontier to players.
The developer indicated that the project will continue in new and surprising ways, despite the recent shift in management. This change in leadership follows a period of instability at the studio; Bungie was hit by layoffs last month that impacted a majority of the Destiny team as well as members of the Marathon development staff. Sony Interactive Entertainment teams supporting Bungie's operations were also affected by those cuts.
Quick Facts
- Game: Marathon
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S/X
- Released: March 5, 2026
- New Leadership: Del Chafe III (Assistant Game Director) and Julia Nardin (Creative Director)