Marathon: Bungie's new shooter and the future of the studio

In short

• Players are expressing frustration with Marathon's Season 2 update, which increases the grind.
• Bungie appears to be shifting its focus from Destiny 2 to Marathon, raising questions about future projects.
• Marathon's financial performance has been disappointing so far, with consequences for Bungie's future.

Analysis by GAME-scanner

Marathon's recent Season 2 update has led players to accuse Bungie of deliberately sabotaging the game. The reduction in Cradle XP gains has increased the grind, negatively affecting the gameplay experience. This is worrying, especially since Marathon, a PvPvE extraction shooter, is already struggling to maintain a healthy player base. Bungie's move toward Marathon, with many veterans now working on the title, may also mean Destiny 2's future is uncertain now that all live-service features have been shut down.

In addition, Bungie is under financial pressure. Marathon's sales have been disappointing so far, with only around 1.2 million copies sold. That has led to a significant $765 million write-down by Sony, increasing concerns about Bungie's viability as a studio. The question now is whether Bungie can improve Marathon and build a loyal player base, or whether the studio will run into even more trouble.

What does this mean for players?

For players, this could mean a less satisfying Marathon experience, especially if the grind continues to increase. Bungie's future and its projects are uncertain, which could lead to a lack of new content or updates for both Marathon and Destiny 2. Players will be watching closely to see how Bungie handles these challenges and whether it can turn things around.

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