Apple has opened negotiations in recent weeks with major news and publishing organizations, seeking permission to use their material in the company's development of generative artificial intelligence systems, the New York Times reported on Friday.
06.12.2023 - 23:27 / destructoid.com / Rebekah Valentine
Destiny 2’s Season 23 started strong, featuring the new Warlord’s Ruin Dungeon and activities like The Coil. But beneath the surface, it’s possible Bungie and Destiny have received a blow that’s impossible to recover from.
A new report from IGN’s Rebekah Valentine alleges that the situation only worsens for the remaining employees at Bungie. Morale and company culture seem like they’re taking a backseat, in order to avoid something as drastic as a complete Sony takeover.
Following Bungie’s layoffs at the end of October, reports surfaced that the studio was drastically missing revenue targets. A Bloomberg report claimed the company would delay Destiny 2’s The Final Shape expansion in addition to the upcoming new title Marathon.
Bungie would confirm these delays shortly before Destiny 2 introduced theSeason of the Wish. Now, IGN reports that employee morale is at an all-time low and that there’s a chance Sony could put a firmer hand on Bungie’s affairs.
IGN reports that since Bungie became a Sony subsidiary, it has operated with a split board of directors. While Bungie management makes up half of the board, there’s an indication that things can change. IGN’s sources allege leadership has stated that Sony can eliminate the existing board and seize control if Bungie underperforms. And with that knowledge in mind, this financial fear likely led to Bungie’s layoffs.
In addition to trimming staff, IGN reports that Bungie has implemented other strategies to save money. Hiring, holiday bonuses, competitive industry compensation adjustments, and donation matching reportedly all took a hit, just to name a few. Obviously, this has done little to improve the morale of the remaining employees after the layoffs. Many tell IGN they are understandably bitter after seeing their friends and coworkers coldly let go, and this just compounds frustrations.
While Bungie hopes to rebound from its financial losses, employees’ enthusiasm has essentially disappeared. IGN’s sources note that the in-studio atmosphere has been “soul-crushing.” A lot is riding on The Final Shape, and the team knows it, as one source tells IGN that they know the expansion needs to do well, or else they feel they’re “definitely looking at more layoffs.”
Another fear rising among studio staff is Bungie’s increasing reliance on outsourcing. IGN’s sources allege an uptick in conversations about outsourcing since just around the time of the layoffs. Though it’s standard enough throughout the game industry, Bungie has employed a sizable internal team for years. Now, employees have to worry about whether their job security is a worthwhile investment for Bungie. “Folks still there are very much feeling’ us vs them’ between leadership and workers,” an IGN
Apple has opened negotiations in recent weeks with major news and publishing organizations, seeking permission to use their material in the company's development of generative artificial intelligence systems, the New York Times reported on Friday.
Investment giant The Carlyle Group is now reportedly looking to sell RuneScape maker Jagex.
Apple Inc. will stop selling the latest versions of its Apple Watch in the US due to a patent dispute, taking the devices off the market in the middle of the busy holiday season. Sales of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 will be halted on the company's online store on Dec. 21 and at its physical retail stores beginning on Christmas Eve, it said in a statement. The move comes ahead of the anticipated import ban of Apple Watch models with a blood oxygen sensor — a feature in the latest lineup — stemming from a legal battle with Masimo Corp.
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Adobe Inc. walked away from its $20 billion acquisition of startup Figma Inc. after clashing with regulators in Europe and the UK. Adobe will pay Figma a $1 billion termination fee, the companies said in a statement on Monday. They saw “no clear path” to getting regulatory approvals from the European Commission and the UK's Competition and Markets Authority.
Metal Gear fans have surprisingly got a lot of joy from Taylor Swift's birthday plans this year as the singer heads to Outer Heaven to celebrate.
First reported by the New York Times, a major chapter in Activision Blizzard's reckoning over an alleged internal culture of misogyny and harassment has ended. The California Civil Rights Department (formerly the Department of Fair Employment and Housing) has settled with Activision Blizzard for $54 million, dropping its sexual harassment suit.
By Ash Parrish, a reporter who has covered the business, culture, and communities of video games for seven years. Previously, she worked at Kotaku.
Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6) finally got its first trailer earlier this month (December 4), and while it arrived to much applause, there was at least one person who didn't look upon it so favorably.
Treyarch's upcoming Call of Duty game, set to release in 2024, will reportedly bring the return of Warzone's original map, Verdansk.
This is not investment advice. The author has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Wccftech.com has a disclosure and ethics policy.
A ton of drama unfolded in the technology sector recently, with OpenAI, the hottest startup at this time, had its CEO, Sam Altman, abruptly fired, then reinstated a few days after. Following the Chief Executive’s removal, several OpenAI employees revolted, threatening to join Microsoft if OpenAI’s board remained firm on their decision, but according to the latest report, it was actually a bluff to force the firm to bring back Altman. As it turned out, most OpenAI employees did not want to work for Microsoft, as it would have resulted in the loss of significant perks and other reasons.