Sony, Bungie settle with ex-Marathon director they accused of “predatory behaviour”, bringing $200m wrongful dismissal lawsuit to a close

Christopher Barrett, the former game director of Marathon at Bungie, has settled a lawsuit against developer Bungie and its parent company Sony. The settlement concludes a legal dispute that began following Barrett’s departure from the studio in March 2024.

Barrett was fired following an internal investigation into allegations of inappropriate workplace conduct. According to reports, he was accused by at least eight female employees of behaving inappropriately toward them. Despite these allegations, Barrett subsequently sued both companies for breach of contract and defamation, claiming they had falsely damaged his reputation.

In his lawsuit, Barrett argued that Bungie and Sony deliberately fabricated or misrepresented the misconduct allegations to avoid paying him a bonus exceeding $45 million. The suit sought over $200 million in damages. Barrett contended that the companies publicly insinuated he had engaged in sexual misconduct without proper substantiation, causing irreparable harm to his reputation.

Under the settlement agreement—which comes to an undisclosed financial resolution—Barrett will be added to the credits of Marathon, the recently released extraction shooter. In a statement following the settlement, Barrett expressed gratitude to those who supported him and stated he was “very satisfied with” the outcome.

The case represents a notable legal resolution in the video game industry, highlighting ongoing tensions between workplace conduct allegations and contractual obligations in major studios.

Sony, Bungie settle with ex-Marathon director they accused of “predatory behaviour”, bringing $200m wrongful dismissal lawsuit to a close

Sources