Bloomberg reported that Bungie fired Chris Barrett in spring 2024 after several female employees accused him of inappropriate behavior. The allegations were reported by people familiar with the matter, not established by a public investigation record or court finding. In July 2026, Sony Interactive Entertainment, Bungie and Barrett announced that their litigation had been settled; their statement disclosed no terms and made no finding about the allegations.
Why was Marathon’s director fired?
On August 28, 2024, Bloomberg reported that Bungie fired Barrett in spring 2024 after several female employees accused him of inappropriate behavior. The report, citing people familiar with the matter, said Barrett had left the company in late March. It also said he had directed Marathon until the preceding summer.
Those are reported allegations, not a public finding that Barrett committed misconduct. The sources cited here do not include Bungie’s investigation record or a court determination about the allegations.
What did Bungie and Barrett say?
Sony Interactive Entertainment gave Bloomberg a general statement on how it handles complaints, quoted by Game Developer on August 29, 2024: “it takes ‘all complaints of misconduct very seriously.’” Sony added: “it is our policy and practice to investigate every complaint promptly and take action based on the findings of our investigation.” This described the company’s stated policy; it did not disclose the findings of Barrett’s investigation.
#1 Best Overall
- CLASSIC GRAPHICS AND SOUNDS: Immerse yourself in nostalgia with classic graphics, music, and sounds that look just like the original Tetris arcade game!
- AUTHENTIC GAMEPLAY: Use the joystick and buttons to move and rotate the Tetriminos as they fall to complete lines and score points!
- FULL COLOR SCREEN: With a brighter, full color screen that makes it easy to see the blocks, you’ll be racking up points like a pro as you stack your Tetriminos!
- MARATHON MODE: Race to line up your Tetriminos in rows before they stack too high. Complete 10 lines to move to the next level. But watch out - the Tetriminos drop faster the longer you play!
- SHARE AND COLLECT: Arcade Classics are a must-have retro toy for collectors or for anyone looking to share this classic toy with the next generation!
Game Developer also reported Barrett’s response to Bloomberg. He said he was always “respectful and supportive of my colleagues” and apologized to anyone who felt “uncomfortable” because of his behavior. These excerpts reflect his reported response, not an adjudication of the allegations.
How did the dispute end?
In December 2024, Barrett sued Sony and Bungie, alleging he was fired without cause and that the companies withheld a contractual payout. Those claims were allegations in his lawsuit, not established facts.
Rank #2
- Four-player madness! - you can't spell Nippon marathon without 'P', 'a', 'R', 'T' And *checks letters* 'I', we suppose... Solo play is supported, but grab up to four pads and enjoy the supreme Silliness of gaming's greatest marathon.
- see all of Japan! - Cross the entirety of the land of Nippon in a series of creative courses spanning busy city streets, village lanes, bustling markets & More! Wacky characters! - Go toe-to-toe with some of the coolest contestants who ever did, player... Contest! Lobster-man J Darwin, onesie-obsessive Elizabeth nishibori, school uniform fan zenbei "xen bae" And the completely normal snuguru Maestro
- epic pratfalls! - swinging poles! Giant face-slapping fish! Cyclists! Shiba Inu! Panes of glass! Traffic! False doors! Barrels! Rolling Beams! Wobbly planks! Flying fruit! More Shiba Inu! Earthquakes!!!!!
- tons of surprises! - you never know what will happen next in Nippon marathon. Perhaps you'll find time for an impromptu spot of slot machine fun Maybe a news anchor will Jet Pack in to Interview you on the racetrack Heck, anything is possible...
- drop-in/drop-out play! - random pedestrian passing by your couch and wants to play Not a problem. Whatever the cause, Hop in and out for the ultimate, flexible party get-together!
On July 9, 2026, Game Developer reported that the parties had settled the litigation. Its article reproduced their joint statement: “The litigation between Sony Interactive Entertainment, Bungie, and Christopher Barrett has been settled. For 26 years, Mr Barrett contributed to some of Bungie’s most successful games. Mr. Barrett was the original game director for Marathon and his name has been added to the game’s credits to reflect that.”
The statement gave no settlement terms and did not say the parties agreed on what happened or make a finding about the 2024 allegations. It did confirm Barrett’s original-director credit and that his name was added to the game’s credits.
What is Barrett’s connection to Marathon?
Bloomberg’s 2024 report said Barrett had directed Marathon until the preceding summer. The 2026 joint statement identifies him as the game’s original director and says his credit was added. That history concerns his contribution to the project; it does not establish why Bungie dismissed him.
In September 2026, Bungie said Marathon was important to the studio’s future, while acknowledging it had not reached as many players as hoped and describing plans to evolve it toward a deeper survival experience. That is context about the game’s direction, separate from Barrett’s departure.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- Four-player madness! - You can't spell Nippon Marathon without 'P', 'A', 'R', 'T' and *checks letters* 'I', we suppose… Solo play is supported, but grab up to four pads and enjoy the supreme silliness of gaming's greatest marathon.
- See all of Japan! - Cross the entirety of the land of Nippon in a series of creative courses spanning busy city streets, village lanes, bustling markets & more!
- Wacky characters! - Go toe-to-toe with some of the coolest contestants who ever did, er… contest! Lobster-man J DARWIN, onesie-obsessive Elizabeth Nishibori, school uniform fan Zenbei "Xen Bae" and the completely normal Snuguru Maestro Epic pratfalls! - Swinging poles! Giant face-slapping fish! Cyclists! Shiba Inu! Panes of glass! Traffic! False doors! Barrels! Rolling beams! Wobbly planks! Flying fruit! More Shiba Inu! EARTHQUAKES!!!!!
- Tons of surprises! - You never know what will happen next in Nippon Marathon. Perhaps you'll find time for an impromptu spot of slot machine fun? Maybe a news anchor will jetpack in to interview you on the racetrack? Heck, anything is possible…
- Drop-in/drop-out play! - Random pedestrian passing by your couch and wants to play? Not a problem. Whatever the cause, hop in and out for the ultimate, flexible party get-together!
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
