The former Marathon director was reportedly fired from Bungie following a misconduct investigation

After Chris Barrett was replaced as director of the marathon reboot earlier this year, a new report says the veteran developer was fired from Bungie following an internal investigation into misconduct.

According to Bloomberg, Barrett was fired from the studio in the spring after “at least eight” female employees at the company accused her of inappropriate behavior.

The report claims that Barrett befriended women from various departments at the studio and sent them a “barrage of text messages that blurred the lines between professional and personal.”

It is cited that Bungie's investigation found that the developer “called lower-level female employees attractive, asked them to play truth or dare, and alluded to his wealth and power at the studio, suggesting he could help them advance their careers.” Bloomberg also claims that Bungie employees were not informed of the circumstances behind Barrett's departure. Some developers on the Marathon team were told he was “on sabbatical,” and later found out that his company accounts had been deactivated.

“I think I have always conducted myself with integrity and been respectful and supportive of my colleagues, many of whom I consider my closest friends,” Barrett said in an interview with Bloomberg. “I never understood that my communications were unwelcome, and I never imagined that they could make anyone feel uncomfortable. If anyone ever felt that way when dealing with me, I am sincerely sorry.”

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Sony Interactive Entertainment told the publication that they take “all complaints of misconduct very seriously” and that the company's policy is to investigate all complaints “immediately” and then take action based on the results of the investigation.

Former Valorant game director Joe Ziegler confirmed he took on the same role at Marathon in March. A report from IGN cited the change as a response to a restructuring of Bungie's creative leadership. Bungie announced in late July that it was laying off 220 employees, citing Marathon – alongside Destiny 2 – as one of the developer's two current focuses, with CEO Pete Parsons emphasizing the need to “ensure both projects deliver the quality our players expect and deserve.”