Marathon Sony and Bungie haven't had the impact they hoped for, an analyst has claimed. The lead-up to the extraction shooter's March 2026 release was fraught with controversy, from AI art scandals to reports of low morale among developers, but the game managed to overcome them all and launch to generally favorable reviews. While Marathon While some obstacles may have been overcome up to this point, it hasn't exactly been smooth sailing.
Despite some doubts about whether it would ever see the light of day, Bungie's latest title not only recovered from an uncertain delay, but got off to a solid start. When pre-orders go live, Marathon passed ARC Raiders on Steam's top seller chart, momentarily edging out its biggest competition in the extraction shooter space. While ARC Raiders Will eventually reclaim his place at the top marathon, It felt like a turning tide for Bungie, and early critic reviews offered another good sign. However, it would soon become clear that the game was not out of the woods yet.
The marathon launched to positive reviews but failed to dethrone ARC Raiders
Destiny and Halo developer Bungie launches its new extraction shooter, Marathon, to positive reviews, but fails to dethrone ARC Raiders.
Analysts say Marathon's learning curve hampered its sales
Rhys Elliott, head of market analysis at Elina Analytics, took to Twitter to report that Marathon Sold 1.2 million copies across all platforms and 217,000 on PS5 alone. According to the analyst, it's not “the splash that Sony and Bungie wanted”, especially since the game has struggled to sell well on the PS5 despite coming from a Sony-owned studio. While the game hasn't been out for long, it's easy to see why selling only 1.2 million units might be disappointing for Sony, especially since earlier rumors claimed that Bungie had sky-high expectations. marathon's sales, though those reports came before the game's indefinite delay in June.
Elliott says the relatively low sales may stem from the game's UI, which is a hindrance to new players compared to favorites. ARC Raiders. This is accompanied by some common complaints that sometimes pop up Marathon Reviews by PS5 players bombed, as many of those users called the game too punishing for casual players. Elliot suggests that people can get the hang of it ARC Raiders very fast, MarathonThe confusing UI introduces a steep learning curve that can prevent them from getting into the game and enjoying its positive aspects. Alinea data looks like this backup, eg Marathonof daily active users reportedly held steady after an initial post-launch drop, suggesting that those used to the UI are still enjoying the shooter.
A steep learning curve and difficult UI may explain why Marathon Steam has sold much better than the PS5 or Xbox, as the console space has a reputation for being a bit more informal than the PC market. If this is true, it's possible that Bungie could turn things around with quality of life improvements. There is precedent to believe that studios can do that too ARC Raiders Director Patrik Söderlund praised how Marathon Reacting to player feedback after its infamous initial response. Cleaning up the UI and adjusting the difficulty might not be as heavy a lift as revitalization Marathon It was from its previous state, so Bungie may have a chance to change the story around the game.
Bungie has already introduced some major changes MarathonTable of contents to make things easier for players to manage. The studio has encouraged users to offer more feedback, so if Elliott needs to change the game for long-term success, things can be looked up. It will not be clear exactly how Marathon The road ahead lives up to expectations, but for now, it may not be what Sony wants it to be, but it hasn't hit a wall either.
- issued
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March 5, 2026
- ESRB
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Juvenile/animated blood, language, violence, in-game purchases, user interaction
- Multiplayer
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Online multiplayer, online co-op
