Bungie’s Marathon was supposed to come out this September. However, Bungie has decided to indefinitely delay it. This means that Marathon does not have a release date right now. So, my guess is that it will be delayed by six months or one year, at least.

Marathon had an Alpha Test earlier this year, and the response from those who have played it was Mixed. While there was something interesting there, the game had a lot of issues and felt lackluster. This prompted Bungie to delay the game so that it could focus on improving it.

In my opinion, this was the best decision to make. Releasing a GaaS like Marathon after what happened with Suicide Squad and CONCORD would have been a huge mistake. Because, like it or not, first impressions matter. And, if a GaaS does not manage to capture its fans at launch, it will be very difficult to win them back via post-launch updates.

Bungie has listed the things that it will be focusing on. And, as you will see, these are things that will please a lot of those who have been looking forward to it.

For instance, the devs will add more challenging and engaging AI encounters to the game. There will also be more rewarding runs, with new types of loot and dynamic events. Plus, they aim to make the combat more tense and strategic.

Bungie also stated that it plans to increase the game’s visual fidelity. And that’s a good thing IMO. You see, while Marathon had an interesting art style, visually it felt bland. Not only that, but the devs promise to offer a darker tone that delivers on the themes of the original trilogy. Moreover, you can expect more narrative and environmental storytelling to discover and interact with.

Finally, the devs will focus on delivering a better player experience for solo/duos. Again, this is something that should have been present at launch. In fact, all of the things that Bungie announced are important. Thus, I don’t know what gamers would be getting in September if Bungie had not delayed it.

As a single-player fan, I won’t play Marathon when it comes out. Unless it has an interesting campaign mode. I doubt it since this is an extraction shooter, and I hate extraction shooters. Still, those who are fans of the genre – and of Bungie – will be happy with what the devs have stated.

Again, this is the best decision Bungie and Sony have taken. If they put more effort into it, Marathon may not turn into another CONCORD.

Stay tuned for more!