Third-Person Destiny Spinoff “Payback” Cancelled by Bungie – Rumour

Recent days have been tumultuous for Bungie, as the renowned developer of Destiny has undertaken significant workforce changes, laying off 220 employees and reassigning several others to different roles outside the studio. A new report from Bloomberg's Jason Schreier delves deeper into these recent events, exposing insights into the dynamics within the company.

The report highlights that Bungie had scrapped a project that was operating under the codename Payback just two months prior, redirecting efforts towards the game Marathon. Previously, there were suggestions that Payback could be tied to an anticipated Destiny 3, but Schreier clarifies that this is not true. In fact, there has been no development on Destiny 3.

Payback was intended to be a third-person spin-off from the Destiny universe, distinctively different and offering a fresh gameplay experience where players could embody various characters from the franchise. It aimed to include cooperative elements, focusing on combat against foes and puzzle-solving, drawing inspiration from popular titles like Genshin Impact and Warframe.

The report also notes the departure of seasoned Bungie staff members Luke Smith and Mark Noseworthy amidst these organizational changes, leading to speculation and uncertainty regarding the Destiny franchise's future.

Aside from the cancellation of Payback, news has surfaced that one of Bungie's incubation projects is being transitioned into an independent studio. Additionally, Bungie is expected to revise its approach to future content for Destiny 2, reportedly discontinuing the annual expansion model.