Art Allegedly Stolen in Marathon Event: Developer's Lack of Knowledge in Question
Bungie's latest? Divisive as ever! The bold, Wipeout-inspired UI of the new Marathon game has left fans divided - with some appreciating the vibrant, glitchy look. But when it comes to controversy, Bungie's got a knack for stirring things up.
The hot button this time? Plagiarism allegations against digital artist Antireal. She called Bungie out on Twitter, revealing apparent similarities between her 2017 poster designs and in-game assets in Marathon. Posts showcasing icons, numbers, even text seem to have been traced straight from Antireal's work. It's not just the style, but specific elements like her 'ALEPH Dark-space haulage logistics' and her own mark.
"Clearly my work was good enough to steal, but I never get a dime," she tweeted, citing repeated instances of companies copying her work without compensation or credit. Bungie, in the hot seat, admitted to using assets without permission. Ex-employee transgressions, they claimed, were to blame, with poor organization and tight deadlines seemingly responsible for its overlooked origin[6].
Plagiarism accusations aren't new for Bungie. Last year, they faced similar claims regarding a Destiny 2 Nerf gun design and promised to compensate the artist. In 2023, a similar occurrence happened with a Destiny 2 cutscene[7]. And in 2021, the company admitted to 'accidental use' of fan art in a trailer for the Witch Queen expansion[7].
With all eyes on Bungie, some wonder how the stolen art ended up in Marathon. Artificial Intelligence? Laziness? Perhaps the art team took inspiration from Antireal's work, but copying assets head-on seems a risky move for such a high-profile title where they'd be bound to get caught[6].
Whether it's inspiration gone wrong or a simple oversight, Bungie's been called to account. Let's see if they can step up their game and avoid repeating history.
[1] https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/bungie-acknowledges-use-of-plagiarised-artwork-in-marathon/[2] https://www.bungie.net/en/News/Detail/NewsItem/54030[3] https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/bungie-acknowledges-using-fan-artwork-in-destiny-2-nerf-gun-design/[4] https://twitter.com/bungiedevcom_uk/status/1656556284794387458[5] https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2025-05-17-bungie-accused-of-using-plagiarised-assets-in-marathon[6] https://www.pcgamer.com/bungie-addresses-plagiarism-allegations-in-marathon/[7] https://www.ign.com/articles/bungie-admits-using-plagiarized-artwork-in-marathon-working-with-artist
- The controversy surrounding Bungie's new Marathon game continues, with allegations of plagiarism against digital artist Antireal, as specific elements from her 2017 poster designs appear to have been traced into the game's assets.
- Acknowledging the plagiarized artwork, Bungie admitted to using assets without permission, attributing the transgression to past employee neglect and hurried deadlines.
- This isn't the first time Bungie has faced plagiarism accusations; similar claims were made about a Destiny 2 Nerf gun design and a Destiny 2 cutscene in the past.
- In an effort to avoid repeating history, it remains to be seen if Bungie can improve their branding, graphic design, and overall creative approach, especially when it comes to UI design.
- The designer, Antireal, calls for fair compensation and credit, questioning why her work is good enough to be stolen but not valued enough to earn her a dime.
- Some speculate that the incorporation of Antireal's work in Marathon may have resulted from artificial intelligence, laziness, or misguided inspiration gone wrong.
- In the digital art community, this case serves as a cautionary tale, emphasizing the importance of respecting artists' intellectual property rights and giving due credit where it's due.
- As the situation unfolds on social media and in the entertainment industry, it may impact Bungie's reputation and future collaborations, encouraging all designers to prioritize originality and ethical branding practices in their work.
