'Marathon' Met With Mixed Reaction Following Reveal

Bungie hopes to get back in the good graces of gamers following what many deem was a disappointing swan song for Destiny with its highly-anticipated extraction shooter Marathon. The verdict is still out after the reveal if Bungie accomplished that mission. Finally, we know what Marathon is aiming for following the epic reveal in the form of a livestream event on Saturday. The game’s developers were understandably giddy and excited to show off the fruit of their labor, which some media and 40 creators had the opportunity to get their hands on during an alpha playtest. In the gameplay highlights trailer, we feast our eyes on the lucky few getting hands-on with Bungie’s ambitious extraction shooter, and they looked like they were enjoying their time with Marathon.

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As for the game itself, players will take control of “Runners,” cybernetic mercenaries with unique abilities. Unfortunately, you can’t create your Runner, but you can customize their playstyle with the weapons, implants, and equipment you collect on your runs.  The action takes place in the lost colony of Tau Ceti IV, where its inhabitants disappear without a trace, and rival factions hire Runners to loot the colony. Runners will link up in teams of 3 on maps, allowing up to 18 players, so up to six teams, or if you’re bold enough, you can go a run alone to increase your take. You will take on rival teams, hostile security forces, and creatures as you search for rare loot and try to survive until it’s time to be extracted.  If you die, you loose your loot, it’s that simple.

How Much Will Marathon Cost?

Bungie also announced the release date for Marathon: September 23 on PS5, Xbox Series S / X, and PC. The game will feature full cross-play and cross-save, and if you head over to Marathon’s Discord server or Bungie’s website, you can sign up to play in the alpha later this month ahead of its full release. As for the game’s price, it won’t be free, and as the game announced on its official account on X, formerly Twitter, “Marathon will be a premium title. Marathon will not be a ‘full-priced’ title.” Word on the video game streets is that Marathon will cost $40 at launch, which is giving many gamers pause for concern, given that they are bringing up PlayStation’s epic flop, Concord.

What Are Gamers Saying About Marathon?

Reactions are all over the place for Marathon. A lot is riding on the upcoming April 23 alpha, which can hopefully leave a great lasting impression on gamers. But as of right now, things are on the mixed side. Some folks complement the game’s unique art style, but some also don’t like the fact that you can’t create your Runner and are skeptical about the game’s price. “Marathon just looks… fine? I can’t really imagine playing this more than a few hours without getting bored, but that aside, the fact it’s NOT free to play is insanity. There’s no reason you’d play this over free games like Apex/Warzone/Fortnite/D2,” one user on X said.  Gamer influencer True Vanguard was more positive about Marathon, writing on X, “Marathon is wild. Inventive, beautiful, distinct. It certainly leaves an impression. I hope the team is proud of what they showed today, they should be.” We are cautiously optimistic and will reserve judgment until we experience Marathon. Until then, you can see more reactions to the game in the gallery below.

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