As a result of a lawsuit with Bungie (Destiny, Halo), composer Martin O’Donnell is now asking his followers on Twitter and YouTubers to please destroy his music. He is complying with a court order, albeit very late. O’Donnell left Bungie in 2014 amid a dispute over Activision Blizzard’s influence.
This is what Martin O’Donnell demands: In a video he posts on YouTube and shares via Twitter, O’Donnell reads a statement that he previously clarified with a court:
- He says he has had no rights to the material related to Destiny or the Music of the Spheres since at least April 2014 – the material belongs to Bungie.
- If people have posted the material on their websites or other platforms, they should please delete it.
- If people still have copies of the material, they should please refrain from sharing it and destroy it.
O’Donnell worked for Bungie for 17 years – embroiled in bitter dispute
How did this statement come about? We extensively covered the long-standing legal dispute between Bungie and O’Donnell back in September 2021 on MeinMMO.
O’Donnell was the composer of Destiny 1 and Halo, and he was also part of Bungie’s inner circle. O’Donnell had already worked on the soundtrack of Myth: The Fallen Lord (1997).
However, he was against Bungie’s partnership with Activision Blizzard, whom he viewed as greedy.
From his perspective, Activision Blizzard slighted him ahead of the launch of Destiny by not using his music to promote Destiny 1, instead opting for other titles. This triggered a series of conflicts that ended with O’Donnell’s dismissal. O’Donnell was reportedly obstinate and no longer fully motivated at work.
The composer felt robbed of his possessions and sued Bungie. Throughout the legal battle, many details about Destiny became known, including the master plan for how players were to be developed under Activision Blizzard.
O’Donnell won the first lawsuit in 2015, but lost the rights to his work on Destiny. Nevertheless, he continued to disseminate the music he composed for Bungie in the following years. He was apparently very proud of his work. As a result, he was subsequently sued.
In September 2021, it became known that he was to pay $100,000 to Bungie and also had to ask people to destroy the material.
O’Donnell has now complied with the court’s request, albeit somewhat late.
O’Donnell has been taking shots at his former employer and especially Activision Blizzard for years:
Destiny 2: Bungie legend tells horror story about the deal with Activision Blizzard
