Marathon’s Art Director Just Quit Bungie, And The Timing Is… Interesting

News
Written By NLM Team

If you had "major departure at Bungie right before a game launch" on your 2025 bingo card, go ahead and mark that square.

In a move that is sure to calm the nerves of absolutely nobody, Marathon's Art Director, Joseph Cross, has officially left the studio. This news (first spotted by The Game Post and confirmed by Kotaku) comes at a rather precarious time: just a few months before the game is supposed to ship in March 2026.

The Architect of the A e s t h e t i c

Let’s be real for a second: the one thing Marathon has going for it right now is its style. That striking, neon-soaked, graphic design-heavy aesthetic is arguably the most visually distinct thing Bungie has produced since Destiny 1. Joseph Cross was a massive part of that. He has been with the studio through the Destiny years and returned specifically to shape the look of this reboot.

Losing the visionary behind your game's visual identity right at the finish line is a blow. Sure, the art is likely "done" by now, but Art Directors don't just draw pretty pictures; they steer the ship through the final polish, ensuring the vision doesn't get muddied in the crunch to release.

"It Was My Decision"

Cross told Kotaku that it was his decision to leave and that he is "super proud" of what the team accomplished over the last six years. That is the standard PR-safe exit interview response, and I am sure he means it. But let's look at the context.

Marathon has had a rough ride. It was delayed from September to March 2026 following negative feedback from Alpha tests. It had to pivot to include features like proximity chat (chasing the success of ARC Raiders). It even dealt with a plagiarism scandal regarding visual decals just earlier this month.

The Extraction Curse?

It feels like Marathon can't catch a break. Between the delays, the leadership shakeups at Bungie, and now this departure, the game is limping toward the starting line rather than sprinting.

With Cross gone, the visual identity of the game is locked in, for better or worse. We will find out in March if the gameplay can match the style he left behind, or if Marathon is just another pretty corpse in the extraction shooter graveyard.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

NLM Team
Next

The Steam Winter Sale Is Back To Ravage Your Bank Account And I Am Ready To Be Hurt Again