Destiny 3 Petition Surges Past 180K Signatures As Bungie Faces Marathon Pressure And An Uncertain Future

Bungie’s future is entering one of its most uncertain chapters yet. After announcing that Destiny 2 will no longer receive major content updates after June 9, 2026, fans have quickly made their position clear: they want Destiny 3.

A new fan petition calling for Destiny 3 has already passed 180K signatures, reaching more than double the peak concurrent player count recorded for Marathon on SteamDB. The timing is significant, as the petition began shortly after Bungie confirmed the end of Destiny 2’s active development and after reports stated that Destiny 3 is not currently in active production.

For many players, the response reflects more than simple nostalgia. Destiny has been one of Bungie’s defining universes for nearly a decade, building a massive community around raids, lore, seasonal storytelling, PvP, builds, loot, and long term character progression. With Destiny 2 now entering its final major content phase, the lack of an active Destiny 3 project has created understandable frustration among fans who expected the franchise to continue in a more direct way.

The situation is made more complicated by reports that Bungie may face significant layoffs because there is no new Destiny project ready to absorb developers previously assigned to Destiny 2. A Forbes report claims that some developers have already moved to Marathon, which is now expected to become Bungie’s only active game for the foreseeable future.

That places enormous pressure on Marathon. The extraction shooter reportedly attracted 2.2 million players across PC and consoles in March, though its exact sales remain unclear. While that number suggests there is interest in the project, Marathon has not yet proven that it can replace Destiny as Bungie’s core pillar. Destiny was not just a game for the studio. It was a platform, a community, and a revenue engine.

According to the Forbes report, some Bungie employees had known for some time that Destiny 2’s active development was ending, with the decision reportedly made earlier this year. However, only those moved onto the final June update were allegedly told. The report also claims that developers working on the update asked leadership to inform more people internally, as a divide was growing between employees who knew what was coming and those who did not.

Several Bungie employees reportedly learned about the situation only when the public announcement was made. While the layoffs are expected to be significant, the report notes that they may not be immediately imminent. Bungie leadership has reportedly avoided giving clear answers about how deep the cuts will be or when they will happen.

As for why PlayStation has not automatically greenlit Destiny 3, the answer likely comes down to risk. A new Destiny sequel would be extremely expensive, and Sony is already dealing with the financial reality of its Bungie acquisition. The company recently recorded an $800 million impairment loss tied to Bungie, effectively acknowledging that the studio’s current value is lower than the $3.6 billion estimate at the time of acquisition.

Bungie may still pitch new Destiny projects to PlayStation in the future. The studio has already referenced incubation work, meaning new ideas may be explored internally. However, incubation does not guarantee production. It only means Bungie may begin developing concepts, prototypes, and pitches that could eventually become full projects if approved.

That is why the petition matters. It does not force Bungie or PlayStation to build Destiny 3, but it gives both companies a visible signal of player demand. More than 180K signatures in just a few days shows that the Destiny audience remains emotionally invested, even after years of franchise fatigue, content debates, and declining momentum.

For Bungie, the strategic question is difficult. Marathon needs support, but Destiny still has a passionate audience. Moving fully away from Destiny may create room for new ideas, but it also risks abandoning one of the most recognizable science fiction universes in modern gaming. Building Destiny 3 would be expensive and risky, but ignoring that demand could be equally dangerous if Marathon fails to scale.

The comparison between the petition and Marathon’s Steam peak is not a perfect business metric, but it is symbolically powerful. Fans are signaling that Destiny still has a future in their eyes, even if Bungie has not yet committed to one.

Bungie now faces a defining decision. It can attempt to rebuild its future around Marathon, pitch new projects inside or outside the Destiny universe, or eventually return to Destiny with a full sequel. Whatever path it chooses, the community has already delivered its message loudly: Destiny 3 is still wanted.

Should Bungie prioritize Destiny 3 after Destiny 2 ends, or should the studio fully commit to Marathon and new projects?