Former Bungie Composer Marty O'Donnell Announces Nevada Congressional Run

Former Bungie composer Marty O'Donnell has announced that he's running for Congress. He intends to run in Nevada's third congressional district as the Republican candidate against Democratic incumbent Susie Lee.

"I never wanted to be a politician and I still don’t. I’ve had two successful careers and have started a few small businesses. I’ve also worked for some big corporations," he said on social media. "I was ready to retire and spend more time with my family--which I’ve done for the past three years. I think they’re ready for me to find something else to do."

O'Donnell is also a Trump supporter, according to an interview with GamesBeat. He voted for Trump twice and intends to vote for Trump a third time if he ends up being the Republican nominee for President.

Best known for his work on the Halo and Destiny franchises at Bungie, O'Donnell was fired in 2014. He then filed a lawsuit saying that he was fired without cause. Bungie paid $95,000 in unpaid work, vacation time, double damages, and legal fees in order for the case to not make it to trial. A court-appointed arbitrator also ruled in O'Donnell's favor and awarded him with at least $142,500 in profit shares he said he was owed.

In 2020, O'Donnell and former Bungie co-composer Michael Salvatori sued Microsoft over alleged unpaid royalties, but a settlement was reached in 2022. In 2021, he was found in contempt of court over his use of Destiny music on various platforms and subsequently was ordered to pay thousands in legal fees to Bungie.