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Marathon's first 'PvP-lite' experimental mode sounds like a delightfully terrifying alternative
Bungie is experimenting with a new 'PvP-lite' mode for Marathon called Sponsored Survival, which will be available during the first week of its second season. This mode initially allows a single squad to explore a map without player threats, focusing on PvE combat against bots and new enemies. After a certain period, 'Rooks' (late-joining players) will be introduced, escalating the potential for player conflict before a single exfiltration point opens at the end of the match.
Destiny 2 Had To Die For The Series To Ever Live Again
The author argues that Destiny 2's prolonged lifespan and evolving issues, including microtransactions and the Destiny Content Vault, necessitated its eventual end for the series to have a chance at future success. Despite the sadness of its conclusion and reported layoffs at Bungie, the article suggests that the game's over-scope and mismanagement led to a decline that made a fresh start for the Destiny franchise necessary. The piece also touches on the impact of Sony's ownership and the challenges of sustaining live-service games.
Destiny 2 outlines upcoming gear changes while details about internal plans to right the ship come to light
Destiny 2 is set to receive significant gear updates before entering maintenance mode, including new exotic catalysts, weapon tier upgrades, and archetype tweaks. Bungie is also streamlining the artifact system and making more gear available from vendors. Meanwhile, internal discussions at Bungie reportedly explored rebranding to Destiny Infinity or a third game, but these were deemed too costly. Former Valve writer Chet Faliszek expressed concern over Sony's apparent lack of interest in long-term multiplayer game support.
PS5 Owners Can Play 2026 Sony First-Party Game for Free
Sony is offering a limited-time free play week for Bungie's multiplayer shooter Marathon on PlayStation 5 from June 2 to June 9. No PlayStation Plus subscription is required to participate in this "Open Play Week," and all progress will carry over to Marathon Season 2. This initiative aims to boost player engagement for the recently released title.
Destiny 2 community lead whips the MMO's community into a frenzy with a series of posts that could mean anything from a sequel to nothing at all: "Do not go gentle into that good night"
Destiny 2 fans are speculating about the future of the franchise following cryptic posts from Bungie's community lead, Dylan Gafner. These posts, referencing themes of perseverance and the number three, have fueled rumors of a potential Destiny 3, despite reports suggesting it is not in development. The community is interpreting Gafner's messages as encouragement to remain hopeful as Destiny 2 approaches its final update.
Respawn Monday #001: Abiotic Factor, Marathon Runs, and the Outward 2 Beta — Too Much Gaming | Video Games Reviews, News, & Guides
The author discusses recent gaming experiences, including the survival game Abiotic Factor on PC Game Pass, its retro visuals, and engaging crafting mechanics. They also detail playing the extraction shooter Marathon with new friends, preparing for Season 2's wipe, and covering the Outward 2 beta, noting its deliberate difficulty and lack of handholding.
Marathon’s Open Play Week Includes Sponsored Survival, the New Experimental PvE Mode
Bungie is hosting an Open Play Week for Marathon from June 2nd to 9th, introducing an experimental PvE mode called Sponsored Survival. This mode takes place on the new Night Marsh map and features unique spawn mechanics for Runners and Rooks. The Open Play Week coincides with the launch of Marathon Season 2: NIGHTFALL on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC.
Steam reviewer says 'I am done with this game' after 10,000 hours of Destiny 2, then plays another 160 hours…
A Destiny 2 player, who has logged over 10,000 hours, left a negative Steam review citing dissatisfaction with recent game updates and progression systems. Despite the negative review, the player continued to play for an additional 157 hours, highlighting the complex relationship many players have with the game. The article also touches on the broader topic of player sentiment and game design choices made by developers like Bungie.
‘It’s a bit sappy and sentimental but that’s how we’re feeling’: Bungie gets emotional in latest Destiny 2 blog post
Bungie shared an emotional blog post discussing the final patch for Destiny 2, reflecting on the game's journey. The sentiment expressed is described as sappy and sentimental, indicating a significant emotional moment for the development team as they conclude this chapter.
Roadmaps and Plans
Bungie provided insights into Destiny 2's upcoming weapon, artifact, and focusing systems. Separately, the latest community update for Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 was released.
Bungie spills the beans on combat tuning for Marathon Season 2, and it's bad news for shotgun lovers and thermal…
Bungie has detailed combat changes for Marathon's upcoming Season 2, focusing on rebalancing weapons and introducing new mechanics. Shotguns will not receive further nerfs, but thermal scopes will be removed from sniper rifles. New weapons like the KKV-9SD SMG and D54 battle pistol, along with new throwables, will also be added to the extraction shooter.
Former Destiny 2 boss praises new The Witcher 3 DLC, says "half a generation of players weren't of age"…
CD Projekt Red has announced The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Songs of the Past, an expansion set to release next year for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Former Bungie executive Mark Noseworthy praised the move, noting that a new generation of players will be able to experience the franchise. The expansion is being developed by Fool's Theory, which is also working on the remake of The Witcher 1.
Valve veteran worries for Bungie's future following Destiny 2's final update: "I don't think Sony…
Valve veteran Chet Faliszek expressed concern over Bungie's future following the announcement that Destiny 2's final update will be released on June 9, with no Destiny 3 currently in development. He believes Sony may have lost interest in Bungie's live-service ambitions after Marathon's underperformance, leaving the studio in a precarious position with limited viable paths forward.
Bungie Thanks Fans With First Look at Monumental Destiny 2 Update
Bungie is releasing the Monument of Triumph, which is described as the final major content update for Destiny 2. Fans anticipate this update to be one of the game's best singular updates in years.
Bungie vet says OG Halo beats Campaign Evolved and its "modern, AAA, fancy Unreal graphics" because "the constraints actually make it a stronger game"
A former Bungie design lead, Niles Sankey, believes the original Halo's graphical constraints made it a stronger game than modern remakes like Halo: Campaign Evolved. He argues that excessive detail in "fancy Unreal graphics" can impair battlefield readability and enemy visibility, which are crucial for gameplay.
Bungie devs have resurrected an obscene amount of guns for Destiny 2's final update: 'My body physically hurts…
Bungie is releasing a significant update for Destiny 2 called Monument of Triumph, which will reintroduce a large number of previously available weapons and add new ones across various activities. This update includes reprised weapons for patrol destinations, Gambit, Crucible, and more, alongside all exotic weapons receiving catalysts. The extensive work involved has led developers to express the physical toll it has taken.
Former Destiny 2 boss won't say "Destiny 1 remaster" out loud, but suggests it might not be a good idea: "Studios can only afford so many bets"
Former Destiny 2 lead Mark Noseworthy discussed the business considerations of game remasters, suggesting a Destiny 1 remaster might not be a wise investment for Bungie. He highlighted the high costs, opportunity costs, and market demand as key factors, implying that studios have limited resources for such projects.
Morning Postmortems/Retrospectives
An interview with Microsoft veteran Stuart Moulder discusses the Close Combat series. Separately, a report suggests Bungie considered relaunching Destiny 2 as 'Destiny Infinity'.
Bungie Reportedly Considered Relaunching Destiny as 'Destiny Infinity' Before Deciding to Pull the Plug on Destiny 2
Bungie reportedly considered relaunching its sci-fi shooter as 'Destiny Infinity' before deciding to cancel the project and focus on Destiny 2. Issues with the game's performance began around the time of the 'Edge of Fate' expansion, leading to the decision to pull the plug earlier this year.
Marathon free week start date and available content
Bungie is offering a free week for its extraction shooter Marathon from June 2 to June 9, allowing players to experience the full game, including new Season 2 content. The free trial will be available on Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X, with progress carrying over if players purchase the game. Certain endgame content like the Cryo Archive map and ranked mode will remain unavailable during this period.
