Sony Addresses $200 Million Wrongful Dismissal Lawsuit Filed by Bungie Veteran Barrett

Sony has stepped forward with a response to the lawsuit filed by Christopher Barrett, a former member of Bungie’s team.

According to a report by Game File, PlayStation has shared text messages exchanged between Barrett and female Bungie employees. Sony claims these messages demonstrate a “pattern of misconduct” on Barrett’s part.

Barrett parted ways with Bungie in March 2024, but the story didn’t end there. It was subsequently disclosed that his departure was linked to allegations of inappropriate conduct toward female colleagues. In response, Barrett is pursuing a lawsuit for wrongful dismissal, seeking damages of $200 million. He argues that his exit cost him $45 million in payouts, which was part of Sony’s acquisition of Bungie back in 2022.

Sony’s legal documents emphasize that Barrett’s termination was allegedly due to his behavior around “a lower-level, female employee he wasn’t working directly with.” What began as a friendly interaction reportedly escalated as Barrett allegedly overstepped boundaries with remarks about her appearance and romantic interest. Their assertion is that he sought an unprofessional bond with the women involved.

Sony has supplied excerpts from the text and direct messages Barrett supposedly sent to the women in question.

Barrett’s legal team, speaking to Game File, contested Sony’s stance by stating, “Sony continues to selectively highlight text messages and conversations, making unsubstantiated claims to tarnish Christopher’s reputation and justify his dismissal to withhold payment owed to him under his employment agreements.”

“It’s notable,” they added, “that Sony hasn’t provided the complete text messages or entire conversations, and nothing in their filings presents a valid legal or factual reason to dismiss Christopher for cause.”

They concluded with confidence, saying, “Christopher believes that once all evidence is laid out, it will be plainly visible that Sony orchestrated a plan to strip him of his position and the equity he earned over 25 years of dedicated service.”