Marathon
News, coverage and analysis tracking Marathon across the outlets.- Marathon hands-on preview | NotebookcheckEarly hands-on impressions of Marathon reveal a distinctive extraction shooter featuring robust shell-based class design and layered faction progression. The game presents a surreal aesthetic and a dense user interface that requires further refinement.
Slay the Spire 2 dev says its Marathon joke turned out 'a bit meaner than expected' in hindsight: 'To be fair I didn't think we'd actually pass Marathon in concurrent users'Mega Crit, the developers of Slay the Spire 2, made a joke about the game potentially surpassing Marathon in concurrent users, which they later admitted felt a bit meaner than intended. The studio expressed surprise at Slay the Spire 2's massive launch success, which led to the joke's context changing.- Sunday InterviewsBungie discussed the 'graphic retro futurism' aesthetic for their upcoming game Marathon. The studio also shared that they learned lessons about 'live narrative' from their experience with Destiny.
Over half a million of us played Slay the Spire 2 this weekendSlay the Spire 2 achieved a peak of over 574,000 concurrent players on Steam during its launch weekend, surpassing many other popular titles. This strong performance indicates significant sales for Mega Crit's highly anticipated sequel, which recently launched into early access.
'We're Discussing Ways to Improve': Marathon Dev Tweaking Monetisation and Difficulty as FPS Fails to Blow UpBungie is making adjustments to Marathon's monetization and difficulty following a decline in player numbers on PC and an unspecified performance on consoles. The studio is increasing the amount of in-game currency purchased with real money and will refund players who bought previous bundles. Upcoming updates will also address game difficulty by increasing objective marker visibility and the spawn rates of essential items.
Marathon dev Bungie responds to microtransactions complaints and is "preparing a patch" for next weekBungie is addressing player complaints about microtransactions in its newly released game Marathon. The developer announced plans to increase the amount of in-game currency Lux received for real-money purchases and will issue a patch next week to implement these changes. Bungie also stated they are discussing further improvements to ensure players feel they are receiving good value.- How to extract Biotic Sample from Sparkleaf in Bio-Research in Marathon – Parasitism 3 contract guideThis guide details how to complete the Parasitism 3 contract in Marathon for the Sekiguchi faction. It breaks down the three tasks: looting Sparkleaf in Dire Marsh, extracting a Biotic Sample from Sparkleaf at the Bio-Research POI, and injecting the synthesized sample at the central Quarantine POI before exfiltrating.
Coming Out in gaming this week — March 2, 2026This article highlights new game releases scheduled for the week of March 2, 2026. Notable titles include Scott Pilgrim EX, Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered, Slay the Spire 2, and Marathon, launching across various platforms like PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.- How to acquire combat data from UESC Ghosts and UESC Data Bank in Marathon – Parasitism 1 contract guideThis guide details how to complete the Parasitism 1 contract in Marathon for the Sekiguchi faction. It breaks down the tasks of acquiring combat data from UESC Ghosts on the Processing rooftop and obtaining the UESC Data Bank from the Pinwheel Base center, which involves collecting Clearance Codes and completing a hack.
- How to get a blue shield in MarathonThis guide explains how to obtain a blue shield in the game Marathon. Blue shields are presented as a significant item for improving player survivability within the game.
- How to get and use Lockbox Keys in MarathonThis guide explains how to obtain and utilize Lockbox Keys within the game Marathon. These keys are used to unlock containers that may contain valuable in-game items.
- How to complete the Tox Clear event in MarathonThis guide explains how to navigate and clear the Tox Clear event rooms in the game Marathon. These areas are described as lucrative loot zones that can be cleared of toxic gas with the right knowledge.
Marathon Beginner Guide: 18 Tips to Survive Tau Ceti IV — Too Much Gaming | Video Games Reviews, News, & GuidesThis guide offers 18 essential tips for new players of the extraction shooter Marathon, focusing on surviving the early hours on Tau Ceti IV. It covers crucial mechanics like faction upgrades, managing resources, understanding weapon mods, and utilizing the ping system to improve extraction success rates.- All Cryo Archive ARG terminal locations in MarathonThis guide details the locations of six Cryo Archive ARG terminals found on the Perimeter map in the game Marathon. These terminals have begun displaying strange videos and potential clues to future content, and players can find them at specific fixed locations across the map.
Marathon Patch Will Adjust $10 LUX Bundle, Increase Starting Ammo in Free Sponsored KitsBungie is releasing a patch for Marathon to address player feedback regarding the $10 LUX bundle, increasing its value to 1,120 LUX and providing an additional 20 LUX to previous purchasers. The update will also increase starting ammo in sponsored kits and improve objective navigation visibility. The game is available on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC.- How to complete Hack shipping database in Intersection in Marathon – Protect/Destroy 5 contract guideThis guide details how to complete the final Protect/Destroy 5 contract for the MIDA faction in Marathon. It breaks down the three tasks: hacking a shipping database in Intersection, using explosives to open a container in Complex, and exfiltrating a UESC Resource Stockpile. Successfully completing these steps is crucial, as failure requires restarting from the beginning.
- Marathon tweaks cash shop currency bundles and promotes launch with a hidden camera prankBungie has adjusted the currency bundles for its extraction shooter Marathon's in-game cash shop, Lux, increasing the amount of currency per pack and offering credits for past purchases. The studio also released a promotional video featuring a hidden camera prank to promote the game's launch.
Co-op works brilliantly in Slay the Spire 2 | TAGSlay the Spire 2 has launched with a highly praised co-op multiplayer mode, enhancing the familiar gameplay with team-based strategy and social interaction. In other gaming news, Bungie is addressing player feedback on Marathon's microtransactions with an upcoming patch, while Valve continues to navigate potential delays for the Steam Machine. Additionally, discoveries in Marathon's lore, a Greek myth-themed tower defense game called Minos, and updates on various other titles like Slay the Spire 2's early access and the Steam Machine's release window are highlighted.- How to download shipping manifest and hack second-floor terminal in Marathon – Protect/Destroy 4 contract guideThis guide details how to complete the Protect/Destroy 4 contract in Marathon, which involves three tasks: downloading a shipping manifest from a terminal in Processing, scanning tagged containers in Airfield, and hacking a second-floor terminal in Flight Control. Completing these steps is necessary to improve standing with the MIDA faction.
- Issues and ActivismBungie has responded to player backlash regarding microtransactions in their upcoming game Marathon. The first patch will adjust the game to be slightly easier for players.