Importance Score: 65 / 100 🔴
Bungie Addresses Alleged Plagiarism in Marathon Alpha
Independent artist Antireal publicly claimed yesterday that her artwork had been incorporated without permission in Bungie’s recent Marathon alpha test. Displaying numerous examples, and with other players discovering additional instances in alpha gameplay footage, Antireal’s posts on Bluesky gained traction. Many users accused Bungie of blatant plagiarism in Marathon. In less than 24 hours, the Marathon Dev Team, via their X account, acknowledged the “unauthorized use” of Antireal’s creations in the upcoming game.
Official Response from Bungie
“We immediately investigated a concern regarding unauthorized use of artist decals in Marathon and confirmed that a former Bungie artist included these in a texture sheet that was ultimately used in-game,” the statement on X detailed. “This issue was unknown by our existing art team, and we are still reviewing how this oversight occurred. We take matters like this very seriously. We have reached out to [Antireal] to discuss this issue and are committed to do right by the artist.”
The thread further clarified the company’s position:
- “As a matter of policy, we do not use the work of artist without their permission.”
- “To prevent similar issues in the future, we are conducting a thorough review of our in-game assets, specifically those done by the former Bungie artist, and implementing stricter checks to document all artist contributions.”
- “We value the creativity and dedication of all artists who contribute to our games, and we are committed to doing right by them.”
- “Thank you for bringing this to our attention.”
Evidence of Unauthorized Art Use
The initial claim of art theft in Marathon included comparison images demonstrating the similarities. As more players uncover instances of Antireal’s art appearing within the game, the scope of the unauthorized usage seems more extensive than initially thought.
Artist’s Perspective on Repeated Infringement
Antireal expressed frustration, stating, “I don’t have the resources nor the energy to spare to pursue this legally but I have lost count of the number of times a major company has deemed it easier to pay a designer to imitate or steal my work than to write me an email,” on Bluesky. “In 10 years, I have never made a consistent income from this work and I am tired of designers from huge companies moodboarding and parasiting my designs while I struggle to make a living.”
Impact of Community Support
In an interview with The Washington Post, Antireal articulated, “I’d kind of had to learn to shut up about these cases because they’ve happened so constantly over the past 10 years. It was tiring to be viewed as ‘someone who complains’ more than as an artist. But the response this time has been overwhelmingly understanding and I’m extremely thankful for the support.”
Public outcry and mounting evidence likely spurred Bungie’s response regarding the use of Antireal’s art in Marathon. Some of the artwork reportedly dates back to 2017. Antireal mentioned that Marathon’s art director, Joseph Cross, has followed her on X for several years, yet communication never occurred.
Internal Investigation and Fallout
Bungie attributes the plagiarized art in Marathon to a former artist’s texture sheet and is investigating how the unauthorized material went unnoticed. Questions arise regarding oversight, particularly concerning the role of Marathon’s art director.
Past Incidents of Plagiarism at Bungie
This is not the first instance of plagiarism at Bungie. In 2023, the company publicly compensated and credited an artist when their work was mistakenly featured in a Destiny 2 cutscene.
Potential Impact on Marathon’s Release
Marathon is slated to launch on September 23 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. The presence of Antireal’s artwork raises questions about the game’s release timeline. Given the need to rectify the situation and the mixed feedback following the alpha, Bungie and publisher Sony Interactive Entertainment may consider delaying Marathon to address these concerns.