Since Marathon is a live service game, its release is just the beginning. Bungie knows this all too well from its experience with Destiny 2.
Bungie‘s upcoming first-person extraction shooter, Marathon, just completed a server load test that allowed players to try the game for free before its release on March 5. During the demo weekend, players provided Bungie with a wealth of feedback. The studio addressed some of the issues during the open test, and will investigate and refine others after the game’s release.
The open weekend also prompted a new sales estimate from Alinea Analytics, a data analytics company that examined the biggest winners after Steam Next Fest. Alinea Analytics looked at which games made it onto the most wishlists after the festival and which generated the most interest. Although the pirate-themed survival game Windrose made it onto the most wishlists, Marathon came in second place. Beyond wishlists, Alinea Analytics estimates that Marathon sold nearly 250,000 copies on Steam by March 2. However, the interest generated during the open weekend was not entirely positive. There was a significant decline on the second day, from which the game was never able to recover.
Bungie also provided details on the game’s launch content schedule. Marathon seasonal updates will be available to all players, eliminating the need to purchase additional DLC or add-ons. All players will start each new season with a new vault, and seasonal resets are designed to keep the game challenging and make loot feel meaningful. Bungie seems to have chosen this path to address one of the most common complaints about Destiny 2: that the game is almost “unbreakable” for new or returning players. Resetting the loot pool collected by players throughout the season ensures there’s always an opportunity to return to the game or bring a friend without falling behind.
In theory, this could work as intended. Players would get used to the idea that their loot won’t last forever. Each season would offer a new opportunity to rise above other players, as everyone would start again on a more or less equal footing. However, players may feel that the effort required to obtain loot is not worth it, becoming so frustrated that they quit the game. As we progress through the season by completing contracts and developing factions, we gain access to stronger base stats and better equipment in the armory. Our power level increases over time, making it easier to recover from defeat and develop our ideal build. This gives us something to fall back on when each season restarts.
The first season, titled “Death is the First Step,” adds a new zone (the Cryo Archive), a new weapon, a competitive ranked mode, and an in-game feature in addition to the content available at launch. The launch content includes the game’s three initial zones, six Runner Shells (plus a seventh Rook Shell), six factions, a progression tree, and 28 weapons, each with multiple mods and different implants to equip the Runner Shell. Season One runs from launch until June, when Season Two, Nightfall, begins. It will introduce a new version of the Dire Marsh map, Night Marsh; a new Runner Shell, Sentinel; new weapons, cores, and implants; and a new Cradle system that provides greater autonomy over the statistical strengths and weaknesses of the Runner Shell. Season 3, for which Bungie has not yet announced a title, will arrive in August.
Marathon will be released tomorrow, March 5, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC.
Source: WCCFTech, Substack, PS Blog
