Bungie and Sony plan to promote the brand new Marathon as a ‘premium’ product although they’ve promised it gained’t be a full value sport.
It’s been almost two years since Sony introduced it was reviving Bungie’s Marathon sequence, albeit because the writer’s subsequent crack at a stay service sport.
After an extended silence and a change in administrators, Bungie lastly lifted the lid on Marathon over the weekend by way of a livestream, the place it shared correct gameplay particulars and a launch date.
It additionally shared what followers can count on from the sport at launch and it sounds even much less content material wealthy than Concord, Sony’s final stay service sport try.
As a reminder, Concord launched final August and was meant to be the primary of many first-party PlayStation stay service video games. However, its launch was so disastrous that Sony killed the sport after solely two weeks and shut down developer Firewalk Studios.
Although different stay service video games have reportedly been cancelled within the aftermath, Marathon’s improvement has chugged alongside, with it slated to launch later this yr.
Aside from establishing how this new Marathon is a PvP extraction shooter, with gamers forming groups of three to collect loot, Bungie additionally defined that there shall be six playable characters and three maps at launch.
Obviously, the plan is so as to add extra content material over time (a fourth map is already confirmed), however this implies Marathon is arriving with far lower than what Concord provided.
By comparability, Concord launched with 16 playable characters and 12 maps. It additionally had six completely different gameplay modes to check out whereas Marathon solely has the one.
One similarity Marathon does share with Concord, although, is that it gained’t be free-to-play. Speaking with GameSpot, Bungie described the sport as a ‘premium’ product, including that it’ll embody a battle go however clarifying that the sport gained’t be offered at full value.
Neither was Concord, which was offered at £34.99, however that clearly proved too excessive an asking value. Marathon is at the least a longtime franchise, but it surely’s not notably well-known, and it may face the identical struggles if it launches at the same value.
Among the preliminary fan reactions, loads of individuals have been fast to attract Concord comparisons and appear to have little religion in its possibilities. ‘Concord tripped and broke its neck in order that Marathon may soar off a cliff unfold eagle,’ wrote discolunk on Bluesky.
‘Why would I pay to attempt Marathon after I have already got The Finals without spending a dime?’ questioned berserker-thiis. Meanwhile, elhyana, regardless of loving the brand new trailer, unfavourably in contrast Marathon to Valorant, saying, ‘This may be one other Concord second.’
One James Galizio has bleakly predicted the identical factor, declaring that Concord’s personal failure might have doomed Marathon to the identical destiny: ‘Players nonetheless keep in mind how that went, why would they commit time to the sport when historical past exhibits if it flops Sony will unexist the sport?’
When will Marathon launch?
Marathon is scheduled to launch on September 23. While Sony is publishing it, it will likely be a multi-platform launch and be accessible for PlayStation 5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S.
A closed alpha take a look at will happen beforehand on April 23 although the one means to enroll in it’s by becoming a member of the official Marathon Discord.
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