Marathon
News, coverage and analysis tracking Marathon across the outlets.
Latest coverage
Unlike Destiny 2, Marathon's creative director says you'll "always be able to uncover the mysteries of Tau Ceti's past"
Marathon's creative director Julia Nardin stated that players will always be able to uncover the game's past mysteries, contrasting with Destiny 2's vaulted content. Bungie aims for each season to be a new entry point, allowing new players to understand the ongoing narrative. Nardin also emphasized the importance of community involvement in shaping the story, a key aspect of live service games.
Bungie Confirms It Has Marathon Story Plans for 'the Next Few Years' But Nothing Is Completely 'Locked in' Yet
Bungie has confirmed that it has story development plans for its upcoming game Marathon that will span at least the next few years. While specific details are not yet completely finalized, the studio intends to continue evolving the narrative.
The Sunday Papers
This article discusses various gaming and cultural topics, including a playable board game adaptation of Inscryption, the rise of wealthy individuals commissioning orchestras, and the impact of licensed crossover cards on Magic: The Gathering. It also touches on the narrative themes in Marathon, the decline of video game criticism at The A.V. Club, and a humorous comparison of Peter Molyneux to Beyonce.
Marathon’s Story Has a Plan “Over The Next Few Years”, But Bungie Wants Players to “Help Shape It”
Bungie's Marathon creative director Julia Nardin stated that the studio has a long-term story plan for the extraction shooter, but also wants player feedback to help shape its evolution. The team aims to make the game accessible for new players at any time, avoiding issues like Destiny 2's content vaulting. Future seasons will introduce new content and gameplay elements, with Season 3 currently redacted, possibly due to ongoing development based on player input.
Marathon is marching toward perfection
The article discusses ongoing improvements to the game Marathon, with each patch bringing it closer to perfection. A key area for future refinement highlighted is the reduction of grenade spam.
Bungie doesn't see Marathon going anywhere: "We know where we want to take the story over the next few…
Bungie has a narrative plan for its extraction shooter Marathon that spans several years, according to creative director Julia Nardin. The studio views player input as crucial for shaping the story of this live service game, aiming for each season to be a new entry point for players.
Saturday Postmortems/Retrospectives
This article compares the original 1994 Marathon with the upcoming 2026 iteration, highlighting shared elements between the two first-person shooters despite their temporal distance. It also briefly mentions a significant event from Bethesda's history 24 years prior.
Marathon (1994) and Marathon (2026) are at opposite ends of FPS history, but playing them at the same time I'm finding they have a lot in common, despite their vast differences
This article compares the original 1994 Marathon with the upcoming 2026 version, highlighting their shared narrative themes and design philosophies despite vast differences in genre and technology. The author explores how both games, from the early days of FPS to modern extraction shooters, utilize environmental storytelling and AI characters to create compelling experiences.
Weekend Console Download Deals for May 1: Marathon goes on sale
Bungie's extraction shooter Marathon is available at a discount as part of the latest PlayStation and Xbox sales. This marks the first major sale for the game.
As Steam player counts continue to dominate conversations around multiple games, it turns out 45% of you don't actually care that much for the metric
A significant portion of PC gamers do not heavily rely on player count metrics for evaluating games. While some use it to gauge popularity or potential game shutdowns, many find it an unreliable indicator, with a notable percentage admitting to using it for 'ragebait'.
Take note Xbox, exclusives are the main reason people buy video game consoles
A recent consumer survey indicates that exclusive games remain the primary driver for console purchases, despite Microsoft's multiplatform strategy. While some Xbox titles have found success on PlayStation 5, the data suggests a return to exclusives may be necessary for Xbox's future success with Project Helix. Sony also appears to be re-evaluating its own multiplatform approach for single-player titles.
Marathon Was Reportedly Played by 2.2 Million Players in Launch Month, 1.1 Million on PC
Analytics firm Ampere estimates that Marathon was played by 2.2 million players in its launch month, with 1.1 million on PC, 660,000 on PlayStation 5, and 525,000 on Xbox Series X/S. Former Square Enix director Jacob Navok suggested Sony's lack of marketing for the title indicates a lack of faith, despite its popularity on Xbox Series X/S.
Bungie promises changes for Marathon’s Ares, the WSTR, and grenade spam
Bungie has acknowledged player concerns regarding grenade spam and weapon balance in the upcoming game Marathon. The developers confirmed on Twitter that they are implementing changes to grenade stock counts and stacks. Additionally, adjustments are being made to the Ares railgun's effectiveness against shielded enemies and the WSTR weapon's damage, with a focus on more nuanced balance changes.
Xbox games are making bank on PlayStation
Xbox games generated $667 million in gross revenue by being ported to PlayStation 5, according to a report by Rhys Elliott of Alinea Analytics. While some titles like Forza Horizon 5 and Sea of Thieves performed exceptionally well, others like Starfield and Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition also met sales thresholds. Sony, conversely, is not planning to port more PlayStation 5 games to PC, focusing on single-player exclusives for its console while live-service games will be multiplatform.
Games Inbox: Will Marvel’s Wolverine be as good as Spider-Man 2?
Readers discuss the potential of Marvel's Wolverine compared to Marvel's Spider-Man 2, with concerns about its movement and gore. Other topics include the future of digital game distribution, the perceived audience for Steam Machines, and the implications of Nintendo's movie ventures. There's also commentary on game difficulty modifiers, the impact of Grand Theft Auto 6, and PlayStation's digital rights management.
Marathon’s Lack of Marketing by Sony Indicates Lack of Faith, Says Former Square Enix Exec
Former Square Enix executive Jacob Navok believes Sony's lack of marketing for Bungie's extraction shooter Marathon indicates a lack of faith, citing low concurrent player numbers on Steam and minimal promotion on the PlayStation 5 dashboard. Despite selling around 1.2 million copies, with PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S trailing PC in sales, the game's player acquisition is slower than similar titles, partly due to UI/UX issues and a rushed launch after its beta.
ESA Canada Reveals Resident Evil Requiem is Canada's Top Selling Game For Mach 2026 | Console Creatures
Resident Evil Requiem was Canada's top-selling game in March 2026, according to data released by ESA Canada and Circana. The monthly rankings also featured titles like MLB The Show 26, WWE 2K26, Marathon, and various sports games. Digital sales for Pokémon Pokopia were excluded from the March rankings.
ESA Canada Reveals Resident Evil Requiem is Canada's Top Selling Game For March 2026 | Console Creatures
Entertainment Software Association Canada has reported that Resident Evil Requiem was the top-selling game in Canada for March 2026. The monthly rankings also featured titles like MLB The Show 26, WWE 2K26, Marathon, and various sports games, with data compiled in collaboration with Circana.
Sony's "lack of marketing push" on Marathon "speaks to the lack of faith from the platform holder," says former Square Enix exec
A former Square Enix executive believes Sony's limited marketing for Bungie's Marathon indicates a lack of faith in the title. Despite Marathon being the most played game on Xbox last month, its presence on PlayStation dashboards is minimal. This lack of promotion is contrasted with Microsoft's typical support for its first-party titles and the potential for Marathon to be a major success if marketed effectively.
Buffs, Nerfs, and Bugs
Marathon players are expressing frustration with in-game issues, particularly regarding grenade mechanics. Developer Bungie has acknowledged the problems and is working on implementing fixes to address player concerns.