The artist at the center of a plagiarism controversy involving Bungie’s upcoming game Marathon has stated the issue has been resolved. Fern Hook, known online as Antireal, posted on social media that her concerns with Bungie and Sony Interactive Entertainment have been settled to her satisfaction. The dispute began earlier this year when Hook claimed that assets and textures featured in the alpha version of Marathon were directly taken from her personal artwork. Bungie subsequently confirmed the allegation, stating it was investigating the incident and intended to speak with the artist. The specific terms of the resolution between Hook, Bungie, and Sony have not been disclosed. This settlement removes a significant pre-launch complication for Marathon, a high-stakes project for Bungie. The game is a reimagining of the studio’s classic franchise and represents its first new intellectual property since the launch of Destiny 2 in 2017. Its development is being closely watched, especially following reports of increased scrutiny from Sony regarding Bungie’s recent performance. Marathon’s path to release has seen challenges. Originally scheduled for September 2025, the game was indefinitely delayed this past June. However, recent developments suggest progress is being made. Bungie conducted closed technical tests for an updated build in October, and Sony’s latest corporate earnings report now targets a launch by the end of March 2026. For the gaming community and observers of developer ethics, the resolution underscores the ongoing industry conversations about artistic ownership and the use of external assets. While the details remain private, the artist’s public declaration of satisfaction concludes a public relations issue that had marred the game’s early promotional period. With this legal and creative dispute now settled, Bungie can focus its efforts on the final development and polishing of Marathon ahead of its anticipated 2026 release window.
