Pentathlon

*"The Pentathlon is a Bungie tradition stretching back over three thousand years, to the time that Marty O'Donnell passed his driving test." - Frankie*

The ***Bungie Pentathlon*** is an annual winter event held for Bungie employees that began in 1999. Employees are split into teams based on their join date at the company and compete in game competitions throughout the day. Teams with the most points win and are awarded by having their names added to the Fist trophy, which is displayed in Bungie's studio.

Bungie also held a Summer Pentathlon for a period of years where teams faced off in feats of physical strength.

## The Prize

From 1999-2007, winning teams received a trophy called The Cup. The earliest version "was something like a colander spray-painted gold," said David Dunn. A second version was made by Joseph Staten over a weekend. As early as 2000, it began to be stolen before it could be awarded to the victor (the Oni team took it with them back to California after they lost), and soon became tradition for the losing teams to abscond with the trophy before it could be awarded to the winners. More than likely, this is why the Grizzled Ancients' have the motto, "Cup Stays Here."

In 2008, The Cup changed to The Fist trophy, where winning teams would have their name engraved on the trophy for all to see.

## The Teams

There are currently eight teams at Bungie made up of employees: **Newbies**, **Kinderguardians**, **Middle School**, **High School**, **Old Skool**, **Iron Lords**, **Council of Elders**, and **Grizzled Ancients**.

There are also **Disembodied Souls** who have been at Bungie for so long that they have lost all semblance of who they were. They are older Grizzled Ancients who started joining other teams to pad them out and give guidance in 2013.

From at least 2004 to 2016-2017, the teams consisted of Newbies, Middle School, Old Skool, and Grizzle Ancients. Somewhere around 2016-2017, Kinderguardians, High School, Irons Lords, and Council of Elders were added, based off of Bungie's Weekly Updates and employee social media posts. In 2023, Bungie replaced these names for more Bungie game-inspired names: Freehold Future Funks, Beaver Creek Wobbegongs, Tharsis Cold Snap, Neomuna Mummies, Lh'owon Wild, Anchor 9 Aardvarks, Madrigal Crush, and Tau Ceti Toasters.

When the competition first began, teams were made up of development teams: *Phoenix* Team, *Oni* Team, *Halo* Team, and *Myth* Team.

Read more about the teams here.

## Winners

**2023**: May 5 - Freehold Future Funks

* *The usual team names were replaced with Bungie game-inspired names: Freehold Future Funks**, Beaver Creek Wobbegongs**, Tharsis Cold Snap**, Neomuna Mummies**, Lh'owon Wild**, Anchor 9 Aardvarks**, Madrigal Crush**, and Tau Ceti Toasters*

**2022:** April 29 - Grizzled Ancients

**2021:** January 15 - Old Skool

**2020:** January 17 - Newbies

**2019:** January 18 - Middle School

**2017-2018**: December 15, 2017 - Grizzled Ancients

**2016:** January 15 - Middle School

**2015:** January 16 - Middle School

**2014:** February 21 - Middle School

**2013****:** January 18 - Grizzle Ancients

**2012****:** January 27 - Middle School

**2011****:** January 7 - Newbies

**2010****:** January 8 - Grizzled Ancients

**2008-2009****:** December 5, 2008 - Newbies

**2008**

* July *(Summer Picnic with families- this may mean that the Summer Pentathlon no longer existed)*
* January 25 - Grizzled Ancients

**2007****:** February 2 - Army of Dorkness *(normal teams were done away with and were made up randomly this year)*

**2006**

* August 18 (Summer Pentathlon)
* January 20 - unknown

**2005****:** January 24 - Old School

**2004****:** January 23 - Grizzled Ancients

**2002-2003**

* August 1, 2003 (Summer Pentathlon) - Newbies
* February 10, 2003 - Grizzled Ancients

**2001****:** January 19 - Halo Team

**1999-2000****:** The first Bungie Pentathlon takes place.

**1998:** Pre-Pentathlon?

* Based on Bungie.org's Bungie FanFest 2003 Trivia Contest where it asked, "What games were played in the 1998 Bungie Pentathlon?"
* Per Matt Soell's Halo Update on Rampancy.net, the "Second Annual Bungie Pentathlon" took place in 2001, meaning that the first annual Pentathlon took place in 2000. Grammar rules say that a "second annual" event means that it's the third time the event has taken place, with an inaugural event being the first event. This would mean the first Pentathlon was in 1999. However, it's possible Soell meant that that it was the second Pentathlon ever. This fits better with the timeline suggested by David Dunn and Chucky Gough that the Pentathlon began in 1999.

## Resources

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Bungie.net (via archive.org) - Bungie Pentathlon: Winter '07 (February 5, 2007)
2. ↑ Polygon - In Search of the Heart of Bungie (January 24, 2013)
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Bungie.net (via archive.org) - Winter Pentathlon Preview: A Brief History (December 3, 2008)
4. ↑ Bungiet.net - The Bungie Pentathlon (Jan. 2013)
5. ↑ Twitter.com - David Candland (Jan. 2013)
6. ↑ Bungie.net - The Bungie Winter Pentathlon (Feb. 2004)
7. ↑ Twitter.come - Madsushi (Dec. 2017)
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 Twitter - Congratulations to this years winning team, Freehold Future Funks! It was a tight race between them, the Beaver Creek Wobbegongs (2nd), and Tharsis Cold Snap (3rd) and came down to the last event, Puzzle Hunt! While my team didn’t place, like real mummies, we always return…
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Twitter - FREEHOLD FUTURE FUNKS (still not sure what we are but)
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Twitter -Favorite Pentathlon name this year: Beaver Creek Wobbegongs
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Twitter - That'd be the Bungie Wobbegongs.
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Twitter - Team Tharsis Cold Snap
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Twitter - Neomuna Mummies will reign supreme!
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Twitter - Today is the 25th @Bungie Pentathlon! Let's go Neomuna Mummies!!
15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Twitter - I'm playing some Overwatch today with my fellow Lh'Owon Wild pentahletes today.
16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Twitter - For those asking, I am on the Lh’owon Wild
17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Twitter - Where my fellow Anchor 9 Aardvarks at,
@Bungie friends!? #BungiePentathlonThings
18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Twitter - Happy Pentathlon Day to my fellow Bingo Bungos! LETS GO MADRIGAL CRUSH!
19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Twitter - P E N T A T H L O N MADRIGAL CRUSH
20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Twitter - it's my first Pentathlon day at Bungie!!!!!! LET'S GO TAU CETI TOASTERS
21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Twitter - Tau Ceti Toasters Forza Crew ready to go
22. ↑ Twitter - It’s Bungie’s annual Pentathlon event! (May 5, 2023)
23. ↑ Twitter - @RocketMooses: Today it's time for the Bungie Pentathlon (April 29, 2022)
24. ↑ Twitter - @Duard0: today is the Bungie Pentathlon (April 29, 2022)
25. ↑ Twitter - @larsbakken: It's #BungiePentathlon Day! (April 29, 2022)
26. ↑ Twitter - @MxEricJohnE: Congrats Grizzled Ancients! (April 29, 2022)
27. ↑ Twitter - @Duard0: Congratulations to the Grizzled Ancients (April 29, 2022)
28. ↑ Twitter - @kingkeoua: Grizzled Ancients finally won Pentathlon! (April 29, 2022)
29. ↑ Twitter.com - @pparsons Amazing to see some of the team in drive-through person today. Let the games of the Bungie Pentathlon begin! #cupstayshere
30. ↑ Twitter.com - @tomfromtheweb It is the night of the Pentathlon. @Bungie's annual celebration of all things gaming paired with a bit of friendly competition as rival schools clash to take home the trophy this year. (January 14, 2021)
31. ↑ Twitter - @Duard0: Last year, Old Skool won the coveted prize that we all seek, and they are prepared to win it again at all costs. (April 29, 2022)
32. ↑ Bungie.net - Bungie Weekly Update (January 23, 2020)
33. ↑ Twitter.com - @RaraBagel #Newbies took the trophy with #KinderGuardians coming in third but, everyone did amazing! Happy #Pentathlong, @Bungie friends! Today was awesome.
34. ↑ Twitter.com - @Duard0 My first Pentathlon. #GoNewbies @Bungie (January 18, 2019)
35. ↑ Twitter.com - @nevebelle So proud of my @bungie Middle School teammates for the fantastic showing today at Pentathlon and bringing in the win. Thank you all for your excellent work! Such an honor. (January 18, 2019)
36. ↑ Twitter.com - @kingkeoua - Grizzled Ancients 2018! (December 15, 2017)
37. ↑ Twitter.com - @Halcylon Grizzled Ancients!!!!! #bungiepentathlong
38. ↑ Twitter.com - @A\_dmg04 Middleschool wins #BungiePentathlon! ONE point! (January 15, 2016)
39. ↑ Bungie.net - Bungie Weekly Update (January 15, 2015)
40. ↑ Bungie.net - Pentathlon 2014-2015 (January 16, 2015)
41. ↑ Twitter.com - @Bungie Middle School wins the Winter Pentathlon! (January 16, 2015)
42. ↑ Bungie.net - Pentathlon (February 21, 2014)
43. ↑ Bungie.net - The Bungie Pentathlon (January 18, 2013)
44. ↑ Bungie.net (via archive.org) - The Pentathlon Awaits (January 18, 2012)
45. ↑ Bungie.net (avia archive.org) - Achronos Rides Along With The Ancients (January 25, 2012)
46. ↑ Bungie.net (via archive.org) - Pentathlon LIVE (January 27, 2012)
47. ↑ Bungie.net (via archive.org) - Bungie Pentathlon Live! (January 7, 2011)
48. ↑ 48.0 48.1 Bungie.net (via archive.org) - Winter Pentathlon Preview '10! (January 6, 2010)
49. ↑ Bungie.net (via archive.org) - Winter Pentathlon 2010! (January 8, 2010)
50. ↑ Bungie.net (via archive.org) - Winter Pentathlon Live (December 5, 2008)
51. ↑ Bungie.net (via archive.org) - Bungie Weekly Update (July 25, 2008)
52. ↑ Bungie.net (via archive.org) The Bungie Winter Pentathlon Results (January 30, 2008)
53. ↑ Yahoo.com - The 2008 Bungie Winter Pentathlon recapped (January 31, 2008)
54. ↑ Bungie.org - Bungie Weakly Update (February 2, 2007)
55. ↑ Bungie.net (via archive.org) - Bungie Weekly Update (August 18, 2006)
56. ↑ Bungie.net (original link) (fan backup) - No Update Today!
57. ↑ Bungie.net (via archive.org) - Bungie Winter Pentathlon! (January 24, 2005)
58. ↑ Bungie.net (via archive.org) - The Pentathlon Cometh (January 17, 2004)
59. ↑ 59.0 59.1 Bungie.net (via archive.org) - The Bungie Winter Pentathlon! (February 2, 2004)
60. ↑ Bungie.net (via archive.org) - Let the Games Begin!
61. ↑ Bungie.net (via archive.org) - Bungie Pentathlon 2003 in Review (February 10, 2003)
62. ↑ 62.0 62.1 Rampancy.net - noctavis: Matt [Soell]'s Halo Update Returns (January 19, 2001)
63. ↑ 63.0 63.1 Rampancy.net (via archive.org)
64. ↑ Bungie.org - Bungie FanFest 2003 Trivia Contest