Bungie, the game developer behind the highly anticipated title 'Marathon', has settled a plagiarism scandal that rocked the gaming community before the game was indefinitely delayed in June 2025. Artist Fern Hook, known by her online alias "Antireal", had claimed that Bungie used her work without proper credit in the game's alpha.
According to sources close to the matter, Hook had expressed her dissatisfaction with the situation on X and Bungie later confirmed their intention to address the issue. It appears that a resolution has been reached to Hook's satisfaction, bringing an end to the controversy.
The source of the dispute lies in the game's unique art style, which is a key feature of 'Marathon'. However, during the game's alpha phase, it emerged that certain assets and textures were lifted from Hook's work without her consent. Bungie acknowledged this and vowed to investigate further and hold discussions with Hook.
Now, as reported by Sony's November earnings statement, the company has expressed optimism about 'Marathon' launch, aiming for a release date of March 2026. While the delay was initially announced in June, running closed playtests of an updated version in October suggests that Bungie is on track to meet their revised deadline.
The settlement comes as a welcome relief for gamers and industry stakeholders alike, particularly given Sony's increased scrutiny of Bungie's performance. With 'Marathon' marking the developer's first new title since 2017's 'Destiny 2', this incident highlights the importance of proper credit and authorship in game development.
In an era where intellectual property disputes are on the rise, Bungie's decision to address Hook's concerns is a significant step towards restoring trust with fans and promoting fair practices within the industry.
According to sources close to the matter, Hook had expressed her dissatisfaction with the situation on X and Bungie later confirmed their intention to address the issue. It appears that a resolution has been reached to Hook's satisfaction, bringing an end to the controversy.
The source of the dispute lies in the game's unique art style, which is a key feature of 'Marathon'. However, during the game's alpha phase, it emerged that certain assets and textures were lifted from Hook's work without her consent. Bungie acknowledged this and vowed to investigate further and hold discussions with Hook.
Now, as reported by Sony's November earnings statement, the company has expressed optimism about 'Marathon' launch, aiming for a release date of March 2026. While the delay was initially announced in June, running closed playtests of an updated version in October suggests that Bungie is on track to meet their revised deadline.
The settlement comes as a welcome relief for gamers and industry stakeholders alike, particularly given Sony's increased scrutiny of Bungie's performance. With 'Marathon' marking the developer's first new title since 2017's 'Destiny 2', this incident highlights the importance of proper credit and authorship in game development.
In an era where intellectual property disputes are on the rise, Bungie's decision to address Hook's concerns is a significant step towards restoring trust with fans and promoting fair practices within the industry.
the whole bungie thing reminds me of that crazy lawsuit between id software and john Carmack back in the day... anyway, it's cool to see them owning up to their mistakes and making things right with antireal 
. gotta respect bungie for keeping the faith with their fans, especially since destiny 2 was still fresh in people's minds 
. i'm glad we're seeing more transparency about this whole ordeal... maybe it'll set a new standard for game devs 
I mean, this whole thing just highlights how easily big studios like Sony can sweep plagiarism under the rug if they're making bank from the game 
And what about the community? They get left hanging while Bungie just smooths things over with one of their artists 
It's like, what does it even mean to 'settle' a scandal when the original artist isn't getting fair compensation or proper credit? That's some pretty sketchy business practices right there 
And now that Sony is breathing down Bungie's neck, we're left wondering: will they be able to deliver on this delayed game without more headaches 
. I'm still stoked about 'Marathon' though... who's excited for some sick multiplayer action? 
now that this whole bungie antireal thing is sorted out 
and sony's all over them for it too 
at least they acknowledged the mistake and talked to Antireal about it though kudos to bungie for showing some integrity 
now let's just get marathon out the door ASAP 
Like, one minute it's delayed, next minute there's some major plagiarism scandal and now it's all settled. I'm actually kinda relieved that Fern Hook got her art style back and Bungie acknowledged they messed up 
... I mean, who really checks if someone's art assets are being used in a game? It's all about the benjamins honey 
... Bungie thinks they can just sweep it under the rug and move on, but we'll see how that plays out in March 2026 
... Mark my words, there will be more controversy brewing in the future 
. I mean, it's super important for game devs to give proper credit to artists whose work they use in their games, right? It's not cool when people copy stuff without asking or giving props 
. We want to know that our devs are doing things right and treating other creators with respect 
I'm all about #FairnessForArtists and it's amazing to see Bungie taking responsibility for their actions. I mean, who doesn't love a good 'Marathon' game? 
But seriously, this settlement is a huge step forward in promoting proper credit and authorship in the gaming industry. It's not just about avoiding lawsuits, but also about respecting the work of others and being transparent about it.
It shows that even when things seem bleak, there's always hope for a positive outcome. And let's be real, Sony is keeping a close eye on Bungie right now, so this is a huge relief for both the company and the fans. #GamingCommunity #RespectForArtists #Bungie #Marathon
. It's not like this is the first time someone's accused them of ripping off artists... but at least this settlement shows they're willing to listen and make things right 
. Plus, Sony seems super chill about it now, which is a good sign for gamers 
hope they deliver now that this whole plagiarism thing is sorted out 
I mean, what's the big deal here? Bungie finally acknowledged they nicked some assets from Antireal's work without her permission... about time, right? 
It's not like this is a common practice in the gaming industry or anything. I mean, have you seen the state of game development lately? It's all about crunch time and exploiting artists for cheap inspiration. 
Just another excuse to rip off someone else's work and pass it off as original. 
I'm curious to see how 'Marathon' turns out now that Bungie has had time to fix their issues and get everything right 
. And kudos to Fern Hook for speaking out and not letting Bungie get away with it 
.
I feel bad for her, I was really looking forward to checking out Marathon but now I'm just gonna wait and see if it lives up to the hype.
... what if Bungie messes this one up like they did with Destiny 2? That game was such a disappointment after all the hype. 
I'm just gonna sit back and watch this one unfold.