Marathon Director Fired At Bungie Over Inappropriate Conduct

As a long-time gaming enthusiast and advocate for a safe and respectful workplace, I was deeply disheartened to learn about the recent firing of Chris Barrett from Bungie due to allegations of inappropriate behavior towards several female employees. It’s unfortunate that such incidents continue to occur in our industry, where creativity and camaraderie should be the focus, not harassment or intimidation.

This year, the director responsible for Marathon at Bungie was let go following allegations of unsuitable actions. As reported by Bloomberg, Chris Barrett was dismissed from Bungie during the spring, due to multiple female staff members claiming improper conduct.

According to a report by Jason Schreier, at least eight female staff members accused Barrett of inappropriate behavior towards them within the company. Following these accusations, an investigation was carried out which uncovered instances where Barrett would comment on lower-level employees’ attractiveness and suggest games like truth-or-dare. Furthermore, it was found that Barrett would show off his wealth and power within the organization, implying he could aid in career advancement.

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The messages exchanged with Schreier included invitations for socializing with the women, along with flirtatious text content. Additionally, it has been noted that Barrett’s behavior towards these women displayed similar tendencies.

According to Schreier, Barrett often established friendships with women from different divisions of the studio, but his text messaging habits sometimes made it hard to distinguish between professional and personal interactions.

Speaking with Bloomberg, Barrett expressed regret if anyone felt uneasy, clarifying that it was not his aim to do so.

He expressed that throughout his career, he’s consistently acted with honesty, treated his colleagues with respect and kindness, many of whom he considers as dear friends. He’s never intended for his communications to be unwanted or uncomfortable for anyone. If someone ever felt uneasy during their interactions with him, he sincerely apologizes.

According to Schreier, Sony, being Bungie’s parent company, declined to provide any comments about the case. Nevertheless, he received a typical reply from a representative stating that the company treats all allegations of inappropriate behavior with utmost seriousness.

Employees at Bungie weren’t told that Barrett was fired or why he was no longer with the company.

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