"Resolved to my satisfaction": Marathon art theft scandal finally resolved with Bungie and Sony after months of controversy

@4nt1r34l on X (formerly Twitter), or Fern Hook, is an artist whose work was stolen and used in Bungie’s upcoming extraction shooter Marathon. She publicly accused Bungie in May 2025, sharing comparisons between her designs and what appeared in the game, and some elements were shown to be 1:1 with her original work.

The issue became a significant controversy, especially because players were already testing the game, and early impressions were not positive. The art theft only added more pressure on the studio and fuelled wider criticism around the project.

As the situation gained traction, Bungie eventually responded and issued an apology to the artist. Art director Joseph Cross released a statement confirming the misuse of assets and described it as an oversight within the early stages of development.

The dispute is over, but Marathon still faces an uphill battle

Fortunately for @4nt1r34l, the dispute has now been resolved. The response to her post has been positive, with many replies showing stacks of money implying she received a satisfactory payout for the misuse of her work, but this, of course, is just speculation.

Bungie and Sony have not commented on the resolution since her announcement, and the terms of the agreement will likely remain unknown.

It is reassuring to see that she has been compensated for her art, and despite the wider issues at Bungie, its willingness to reach out and “do right” by her was encouraging.

Development of Marathon continues. The game was delayed after the controversy and is now expected to launch by March 2026, after originally being planned for September 2025.

However, fan sentiment remains low, and with competing titles like ARC Raiders has shown just how successful an extraction shooter can be, if done right. Gaining positive attention in the multiplayer space means it may be difficult for Marathon to build momentum around a project that is already facing negativity and even more difficult to remain relevant in an ever-changing gaming landscape.

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