Marathon art director leaves Bungie ahead of game's launch next year

Marathon’s senior art director Joseph Cross has unexpectedly left Bungie after over 14 years, ahead of the game’s release in March 2026.

The details:

• As spotted by The Game Post and later confirmed by Cross via X, the art director has now left Bungie entirely, though he has yet to reveal why he chose to step down from the role or where he is headed next.

• Cross' departure follows a controversy over Marathon's use of artwork by UK-based artist Antireal without permission earlier this year. Bungie claimed that the assets were placed inside the game by a former employee, and the company stated that it would review all of its visual assets, with Cross apologizing for the overall situation. The controversy has since concluded with Antireal confirming that Bungie has privately resolved the issue.
• Marathon is set to launch in March 2026 following its indefinite delay, which saw its release date pushed back from September 2025. Since the delay, Bungie has made several changes and improvements based on feedback provided during its closed alpha test, introducing proximity chat and much more.