Former Marathon reboot director Chris Barrett was reportedly fired by Bungie earlier this year following an internal investigation into inappropriate behavior towards female colleagues.
That's according to Bloomberg, which spoke to at least eight women from the studio who said Barrett sent them “a barrage of text messages that blurred the lines between professional and personal.”
Some also said that Barrett's “interventions were unwanted and that they felt uncomfortable because [he] he was significantly stronger than they were in society.”
According to the report, Bungie employees “were not told the circumstances of Barrett's departure,” and members of the Marathon team were reportedly told by management that he was taking time off.
In a statement to Bloomberg, Barrett said, “I feel that I have always acted with integrity and respected and supported my colleagues, many of whom I consider to be my closest friends.
“I never understood that my communication was unwanted and I would never have thought that it could have made anyone feel uncomfortable. If anyone ever felt that way about their interaction with me, I am truly sorry.”
Bungie's parent company Sony Interactive Entertainment also released a statement, but did not specifically comment on Barrett's case.
It said it takes “all complaints of misconduct very seriously. It is our policy and practice to promptly investigate any complaint and take action based on the findings of our investigation.”
In 2021, IGN spoke to 26 current and former Bungie employees about their experiences “with sexism, racism, abusive bosses and systemic discrimination in the company”.
In response, CEO Pete Parsons said that the abusive leaders had been fired or left the developer, later adding: “If new information comes to light — either through this story or from named or anonymous people who come forward — we'll act on that information act and investigate with integrity.”