Joseph Cross, the art director on Bungie’s upcoming extraction shooter Marathon, is leaving just months before the game’s release. Cross’s exit comes just after the game was finally announced for a March 2026 release, following an indefinite delay prompted by underwhelming player feedback on the shooter’s alpha tests.
Cross’s departure from Bungie was tipped by an update to his LinkedIn page and social accounts, and he confirmed to Kotaku that it was his choice to leave. “I’m super proud of the project and what the team accomplished over the last six years,” he said, reflecting on his exit.
After years of work on Destiny as lead concept artist, Cross returned to Bungie in 2020 to help shape the visual style for Marathon. The extraction shooter is looking to be one of Bungie’s most visually unique titles, with a bold aesthetic named by Cross as “graphic realism.”
Marathon’s unique art style became a point of controversy earlier this year when graphic artist Antireal accused Bungie of art theft, tagging both Bungie and Joseph Cross in a callout post on X. Bungie said the stolen assets originated with an artist who was no longer with the studio. Antireal has since said that the issue has been resolved to her satisfaction.
Cross has now posted about his departure on X, reiterating the pride he has in his work on Marathon. “Getting support at this scale for something a bit different is rare, and the art team at Bungie is the best in the biz. I’ll be enjoying playing the game as a fan with all of you.”
Marathon is due to release in March 2026 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X. The game will be priced at $40 at launch, the same price as its popular competitor Arc Raiders.
