Destiny 2 director Joe Blackburn is stepping down following the release of The Final Shape, the upcoming expansion slated to release in June. Blackburn, who among other things has served as Destiny's Lead Raid Designer, says the time has come to "pass the torch" as he heads "on a new adventure outside the walls of Bungie."
As we hit End-to-End next month, Tyson Green will take the reins as D2 Game Director. If you’ve followed Bungie for any length of time, you've heard his name. From Halo PvP to the creation of Exotic weapons in D1, Tyson has been a critical part of Bungie's legacy since Myth II.
— Joe Blackburn (@joegoroth) January 31, 2024
"As a deeply invested Guardian before starting here at Bungie, getting to be a part of the Destiny 2 team has been the privilege of a lifetime," Blackburn said. "I am and will forever remain a lifelong Bungie fan and believer in what the teams within its walls are capable of."
Blackburn will be replaced by Tyson Green, a Halo player-versus-player veteran who helped create Exotic weapons in the original Destiny and has been a "critical part of Bungie's legacy since Myth II."
Blackburn's departure comes at a difficult moment for both Bungie and Destiny. Back in October, Bungie was hit hard by a major round of layoffs, leading to an atmosphere that employees described as "soul crushing." Destiny 2 has similarly struggled with a declining playerbase and various community controversies. The Final Shape, which was supposed to release on February 27, was delayed to the summer.
Despite all that, Blackburn seemed to enjoy a generally positive reputation among fans. He has been game director since at least 2021, having taken on the role after returning to Bungie following a brief stint with Riot Games. The announcement of his departure was greeted with heartfelt goodbyes on platforms like Twitter as fans thanked him for his hard work on the series.
Blackburn, meanwhile, didn't reveal his next destination, but did say that he plans to take a "big break" from social media. "I've still got some time before I pass the torch, but as I look forward to taking a big break from social media, I know I'll see yall around the Tower. It is going to be great to play Destiny alongside all of you."
As for The Final Shape, it'll be out June 4.
Kat Bailey is IGN's News Director as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.
