Destiny 2’s Poor Sales Force Sony to Record $204 Million Impairment Loss
Sony has confirmed a major financial setback tied to Destiny 2, as the live-service title underperformed expectations, forcing the company to record a significant impairment loss of 31.5 billion yen, equivalent to approximately $204 million USD. During Sony Group Corporation’s Q2 2025 investors call, Chief Financial Officer Lin Tao addressed the disappointing performance, acknowledging that sales and user engagement for Destiny 2 have fallen short of projections made at the time of Sony’s acquisition of Bungie.
“Regarding Destiny 2, partially due to the changes in the competitive environment, the level of sales and user engagement have not reached the expectation we had at the time of the acquisition of Bungie. While we will continue to make improvements, we downwardly revised the business projection for the time being and recorded an impairment loss against a portion of the assets at Bungie,” Tao said.
Sony acquired Bungie in early 2022 for $3.6 billion, aiming to leverage the studio’s live-service expertise across its expanding first-party portfolio. However, recent results suggest that the investment has yet to deliver the expected returns. Destiny 2’s declining player engagement, especially on Steam, combined with delays to Bungie’s upcoming projects, has contributed to Sony’s financial adjustment.
The decline follows a turbulent year for the developer. Bungie’s next major release, Marathon, a first-person extraction shooter revival of the studio’s classic IP, has been delayed and is now expected to launch before March 2026. Analysts warn that Marathon will be a critical test for Bungie’s future under Sony’s ownership.
Despite the ongoing issues, Destiny 2’s next expansion, titled Renegades, launches on December 2, introducing a Star Wars-inspired theme complete with new environments and melee weapons resembling lightsabers. Bungie hopes this expansion will reinvigorate its player base and restore momentum before Marathon’s
Not all of Sony’s live-service ventures are struggling. The company reported that Helldivers 2 continues to perform exceptionally well following its Xbox release, significantly boosting cross-platform engagement. PlayStation’s live-service portfolio, despite setbacks like the canceled Concord, now accounts for 40 percent of first-party revenue, illustrating Sony’s ongoing focus on this segment.
Meanwhile, Sony’s broader gaming division continues to perform strongly. The company announced that PlayStation 5 shipments have reached 84.2 million units, solidifying the console’s position among the best-selling gaming systems in history. Additionally, Ghost of Yōtei, one of Sony’s latest first-party hits, sold over 3.3 million copies in its first month, further balancing the company’s overall financial performance.
Still, the struggles at Bungie serve as a warning about the volatility of the live-service market. While some titles thrive through consistent updates and player retention strategies, others, like Destiny 2, face growing competition and changing player expectations that threaten their long-term sustainability.
Do you think Bungie can turn things around with Destiny 2: Renegades and Marathon, or is the studio losing its grip on the live-service market? Share your thoughts below.
