Gaming

These are the text messages that allegedly got a former Bungie executive fired, according to a court document written by Sony

Published

8 hours ago

February 23, 2025

These are the text messages that allegedly got a former Bungie executive fired, according to a court document written by Sony

A lawsuit between Sony and a terminated Bungie director has become contentious. Sony has released text messages sent by the ex-director as evidence of his “predatory behavior,” justifying their decision to let him go. Christopher Barrett was removed from his role in a major restructuring last year, with reasons later revealed to include alleged inappropriate messages to female employees. In response, Barrett sued Bungie and Sony for breach of contract and defamation, claiming his dismissal was a ploy to prevent a $45 million bonus payout.

The lawsuit has triggered the Streisand effect, prompting Sony to present the alleged texts as exhibits in court. The 128-page legal document refutes Barrett’s claims and details the misconduct he is accused of. Sony reiterates their findings from the investigation into Barrett’s behavior.

According to Sony’s investigation, Barrett’s actions towards female employees followed a pattern of targeting junior staff, pushing boundaries with romantic or physical comments, demanding intimate interactions, and making inappropriate requests. The document includes specific examples of the text messages Barrett allegedly sent to employees, including late-night calls and suggestive conversations.

Additionally, Sony states that multiple female employees reported Barrett’s behavior to HR but feared repercussions. The company claims that Barrett’s actions led victims to seek advice from colleagues on managing his inappropriate conduct.

Despite Barrett’s denial, Sony stands by their decision to terminate him for misconduct and negligence, citing it as a termination “for Cause.” Barrett disputes this, alleging that Sony is using the allegations to avoid paying him a substantial bonus owed after the company’s acquisition of Bungie.

Barrett’s legal team criticized Sony’s portrayal of the events as cherry-picked and defamatory, accusing the company of fabricating reasons for his dismissal. They maintain that Barrett is being unfairly targeted to avoid fulfilling contractual obligations.

It is notable that Sony has not included the full text messages as exhibits or the complete content of the conversations in their response. There is no legitimate legal or factual basis provided by Sony to justify terminating Christopher for cause.

Barrett’s legal team argues that his termination was unwarranted as he did not partake in any financial misconduct or engage in inappropriate relationships with colleagues.

Sony refutes this argument, labeling it as “outrageous” given the evidence at hand. They assert that Barrett’s termination was justified based on his own written statements and the testimony of his accusers.

The outcome of legal proceedings like this one is uncertain. Both parties are employing aggressive tactics, and cases involving significant sums of money often end in settlements.

Bungie has faced scrutiny in the past for a toxic work environment, with allegations of sexism and racism among senior leaders. The studio’s CEO has apologized and vowed to make changes.

In other news, Bungie reassures fans that their upcoming game, a reboot of Marathon, is still in development under new leadership. However, there have been recent layoffs at the studio.

Overall, the situation remains fluid, and the outcome of the legal dispute and the studio’s future projects are yet to be determined.