Bungie has announced it is delaying its extraction shooter Marathon as it works to improve gameplay and add more features to the title. The decision follows mixed player reaction to the game’s alpha playtest and a plagiarism scandal that led players to question the originality of the game’s distinct art style. The studio did not provide a new release date for Marathon but said it would share an update on the game’s progress and the new launch date this fall.
Marathon Delayed
In a development update shared on its website on Tuesday, Bungie said it had listened closely to player feedback around Marathon’s reveal and closed alpha playtests that concluded in May before deciding to push back the game’s release.
“We’ve taken this to heart, and we know we need more time to craft Marathon into the game that truly reflects your passion. After much discussion within our Dev team, we’ve made the decision to delay the September 23rd release,” the studio said.
“The Alpha test created an opportunity for us to calibrate and focus the game on what will make it uniquely compelling—survival under pressure, mystery and lore around every corner, raid-like endgame challenges, and Bungie’s genre-defining FPS combat.
“We’re using this time to empower the team to create the intense, high-stakes experience that a title like Marathon is built around. This means deepening the relationship between the developers and the game’s most important voices: our players.”
Changes Coming to Marathon
Bungie said it would continue closed playtests over the next few months and roll out updates and new features for testers. The developer detailed the changes it intends to make to Marathon, with a focus on the survival aspect of the game. The studio said it would work to make AI enemy encounters more challenging and engaging, runs more rewarding and combat more tense and strategic.
Changes are also coming to Marathon’s story through narrative and environmental storytelling and an overall darker tone that matches the themes of the original Marathon trilogy. Bungie said it would also improve the game’s visual fidelity and add social features like proximity chat.
“You’ll hear from us again later this Fall when we can share the progress we’ve made, alongside the game’s new release date,” the developer said.
Marathon Plagiarism Controversy
Marathon was set to launch on PS5, PC and Xbox Series S/X on September 23. The game, a reboot of Bungie’s original Marathon trilogy from the 1990s, is a team-based extraction shooter, where teams of three “Runners” compete against rival teams and AI enemies in search of better gear and loot.
Last month, Bungie was accused of plagiarism by a Scottish artist, who said Marathon utilised assets from her work without her permission. Following the allegations, the studio acknowledged the incident and claimed a former staff member had included the artist’s work in the game’s alpha build without giving her due credit. The Destiny maker said it would conduct a “thorough review” of Marathon’s in-game assets and reach out to the artist to discuss the issue and do right by her.
Marathon’s delay marks yet another setback for Sony’s live service push. While the PlayStation parent still has ‘games as a service’ titles like Marathon and Fairgame$ in the pipeline, it has walked back on its big bet on the genre, cancelling several live service projects that were in development at its first-party studios.
Last year, Sony took its live service shooter Concord offline after the game failed to attract players at launch. The company also shut down developer Firewalk Studios and said it failed to hit its targets with the game.
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