Marathon
News, coverage and analysis tracking Marathon across the outlets.
Latest coverage
Marathon Season 2 release date confirmed alongside how wipes work and what carries over
Bungie has announced that Marathon's Season 2, titled NIGHTFALL, will launch on June 2, with a full reveal planned for the week of May 25. The season will introduce a new playable map called The Night Marsh, a new Runner shell, new weapons, and a system for customizing Runner shell stats called The Cradle. Season 1 will conclude with update 1.0.9, which includes guaranteed key drops, guaranteed map events, and changes to Key Templates. Season 2 will feature the game's first seasonal reset, with cosmetics, weapon styles, titles, and emblems carrying over, while player levels and inventory will be wiped.
Marathon season 2 begins in 3 weeks, but I fear it won’t be nearly enough to move the needle
Bungie is preparing for the launch of Marathon's second season, "Nightfall," on June 2, but the author expresses concern that it may not be enough to re-engage players. Despite positive Metacritic and Steam reviews, the game has underperformed in sales and player numbers, leading Sony to commit to further support and content updates. The author fears that if the new season cannot bring back lapsed players like themselves, the game's future may be uncertain.
Marathon Season 2: Nightfall will begin on June 2nd
Bungie announced that Marathon Season 2, titled Nightfall, will begin on June 2nd, bringing a seasonal reset for player levels and faction progress. The update includes a new zone, Runner Shell, weapons, customization options, and quality-of-life improvements. Preparations for the season end include guaranteed key drops and increased enemy presence.
Saros is selling worse than Returnal, analyst estimates, as it competes with hits like Crimson Desert and Resident Evil…
Analyst Rhys Elliott estimates that Housemarque's new roguelike, Saros, has sold over 300,000 copies in its first two weeks, generating over $22 million. This performance is considered weaker than its predecessor, Returnal, due to a crowded market of recent blockbuster releases. Elliott suggests Saros may struggle to break even against its reported budget exceeding $76 million.
Marathon's First Wipe Is Just A Few Weeks Away, Here's What Carries Over
Bungie announced that Marathon's first seasonal wipe will occur on June 2, coinciding with the start of Season 2. This wipe will reset runner and ranked levels, faction levels, currencies, and vault items. While some progression elements and cosmetics will carry over, players can expect various adjustments and new content in the upcoming season, including new threats and balance changes.
Buffs, Nerfs, and Bugs
An exploit in the Marathon raid has led to 'heinous' griefing on the Cryo Archive. The article discusses the impact of these exploits on the game's community and player experience.
Marathon Season 2: NIGHTFALL Starts June 2nd, Full Reveal Coming May 25th
Bungie's Marathon will launch its second season, NIGHTFALL, on June 2nd, featuring new content including a Runner Shell, weapons, and a nighttime version of the Dire Marsh map. A full reveal is scheduled for May 25th. The update also includes changes to map events, Warden drops, and increased Faction EXP.
Marathon reconsiders bug abuse approach after player uses Cryo Archive exploit to butcher an entire team
Bungie is reviewing its policy on punishing players for exploiting game bugs following an incident in Marathon where a player used an out-of-bounds exploit on the Cryo Archive map to eliminate an entire squad. While the studio plans to patch the exploit and compensate affected players, they are reassessing their stance on taking action against players who leverage bugs, especially those that negatively impact others and compromise competitive integrity.
Marathon Review
Bungie's reboot of its 90s franchise, Marathon, is an extraction shooter that struggles to stand out in a crowded genre. While the gunplay is solid and reminiscent of Destiny, the game's narrative is poorly integrated, and its visual aesthetic, particularly the neon colors and blocky gear design, is an acquired taste. Server issues and a lack of map variety also detract from the experience, making it unlikely to be a memorable title for long.
Marathon risks watering down its best feature if it keeps listening to FPS fans
This article discusses how Bungie's new extraction shooter, Marathon, risks losing its unique identity by catering too much to player demands for simpler menu navigation and clearer icons. The author argues that the game's commitment to diegetic storytelling and frictional design, inspired by Soulslike titles, is its strongest selling point and should not be watered down.
The Sunday Papers
This article discusses various aspects of the gaming and media landscape, including the narrative shortcomings of Marvel's Spider-Man 2, the closure of A.V. Club Games and Paste Games, and the challenges of AI in translation. It also touches on the enduring appeal of the shooter Marathon and the debate around vaping regulation.
Sony says it remains committed to Marathon despite disappointing returns on massive Bungie investment
Sony's recent earnings report revealed a significant $765 million impairment loss on its $3.7 billion acquisition of Bungie, indicating the studio's portfolio has not met expectations. Despite disappointing financial returns, Sony remains committed to Bungie's extraction shooter Marathon due to strong player reception and engagement metrics, with plans for additional content and gameplay improvements. Destiny 2's recent update has been indefinitely postponed.
Is Bungie Sony's Worst Ever Acquisition After $765 Million Write-Down?
Sony has reported a $765 million impairment loss on its acquisition of Bungie, significantly devaluing the developer since its $3.6 billion purchase in 2022. This write-down, partly due to the underperformance of games like Marathon and Destiny 2's declining player base, raises questions about whether Bungie is Sony's worst acquisition. The article also touches on Sony's broader struggles with live service games and other studio acquisitions.
Destiny 2 players pick out a grave as Bungie confirms it's got nothing to say and Sony admits it's down $765 million on the studio: "There's no way this game keeps getting DLC"
Sony reported a $765 million impairment loss on its acquisition of Bungie, while the studio admitted to having no significant updates. Destiny 2 is experiencing declining player counts and criticism for its recent 'Edge of Fate' expansion, and the new game Marathon is also struggling to retain players. Bungie's future trajectory under Sony is uncertain, with potential for executive changes and further layoffs amidst broader industry difficulties.
Business and Finance
Sony reported a significant $560 million loss related to its acquisition of Bungie, with the game Marathon experiencing development stalls. Separately, GameStop's CEO faced suspension from eBay for selling items on the platform to fund his eBay purchases.
Sony Is Still Figuring Out the PS6 as PS5 Sales Slow and Bungie Weighs on the Bottom Line
Sony's latest financial report reveals that the company has not yet decided on the launch timing or pricing for the PlayStation 6, citing component costs and supply as major factors. PS5 sales have slowed, contributing to a significant impairment loss related to Bungie's underperformance, particularly with the game Marathon.
PlayStation records $765m impairment loss from Bungie as operating income falls 41.6% in Q4
Sony reported a $765 million impairment loss related to Bungie due to underperforming titles like Destiny 2 and Marathon. The company's Games and Network Services segment saw a 41.6% decline in Q4 operating income, despite overall full-year operating income rising 12%. PlayStation 5 unit sales also decreased year-over-year.
Sony Reveals $766m Bungie Writedown in Latest Financial Results
Sony reported a significant $766 million write-down related to its acquisition of Bungie in its fiscal year 2025 results. Despite the financial loss, Sony plans to continue supporting Bungie's live-service title Marathon, citing strong user engagement metrics. The company anticipates a drop in hardware sales for the upcoming fiscal year but expects an increase in first-party game sales, including upcoming titles like Saros and Marvel's Wolverine.
Sony records a $766 million impairment loss against Bungie for the 2025 financial year, a 1-2 punch of Destiny 2 and Marathon failing to meet its expectations
Sony recorded a significant impairment loss of $766 million against Bungie for the 2025 financial year, primarily due to Destiny 2 and the newly released Marathon failing to meet sales and engagement expectations. This follows a previous impairment loss in Q2 FY2025, bringing the total to over $766 million. Despite this, Sony's overall gaming and network services sales were flat, with operating income increasing by 12%.
Marathon and Destiny developer Bungie underperformed last year, causing a $765 million impairment loss for PlayStation
Sony reported a significant impairment loss of approximately $765 million in its fiscal year 2025/2026, primarily due to the underperformance of Bungie's games, Marathon and Destiny 2. This loss reflects a decrease in the recorded value of Bungie's assets. Despite this financial setback, Sony anticipates overall operating income growth in the next fiscal year, partly due to the absence of such impairment charges.
