Bungie’s new game, Marathon, has sparked controversy after a digital artist accused the company of using her work without permission.
The artist, known as Antireal on X (formerly Twitter), claimed that Bungie copied her 2017 poster designs and used them in the game’s alpha release.
She posted screenshots of the alleged copied work, including a logo with the text “ALEPH Dark-Space haulage logistic,”
which appeared in the game without changes.
How did this happen?
Antireal said she wasn’t hired by Bungie for this project,
so it’s unclear how her work ended up in the game.
Bungie has confirmed the issue and is investigating.
They admitted that a former artist used Antireal’s designs in a texture sheet without permission.
The company’s developer team, MarathonDevTeam, stated they are looking into the matter and have reached out to Antireal.
This isn’t Bungie’s first controversy regarding uncredited work.
In the past, they used a fan-designed gun concept in Destiny 2 without initial permission.
However, they later contacted the designer and resolved the issue.
What’s next?
Antireal mentioned she can’t afford to take legal action against Bungie due to financial constraints.
She expressed frustration, feeling that her work was used without pay or credit.
The situation highlights the challenges independent artists face when their work is used without permission.
Bungie’s response will be crucial in resolving this issue and potentially setting a precedent for similar cases.