Bungie has outlined its plans for the next chapter of the studio, with Marathon remaining “an important part of shaping where Bungie goes next.”
Despite that, Bungie has made it clear that the extraction shooter was “never intended to replace Destiny,” despite concerns and criticism from fans who believed the game had become the studio’s new priority. It’s easy to see where those concerns came from, too, with the timing of Destiny 2’s closure and Marathon’s release feeling a little too close for comfort.
That said, some significant changes are coming to Marathon, with Bungie looking to evolve the experience beyond the traditional extraction shooter formula.
Marathon Is Set For A Major Evolution
Bungie revealed its plans in a recent blog post, outlining the future of both Destiny and Marathon while reaffirming that Destiny remains a core part of the studio’s identity.
Despite receiving critical acclaim, including an 8 out of 10 review from Insider Gaming, Bungie acknowledged that Marathon “did not reach as many players” as it had hoped.
With that in mind, the studio is preparing to shake up the experience, stating that it wants to take Marathon “beyond the genre constraints” it originally placed on the game. This will reportedly involve a deeper survival experience, giving players more ways to approach the dangerous alien world of Tau Ceti.
Bungie added that the remainder of Marathon’s first year will continue to strengthen its combat, world, and competitive tension, while introducing more ways to play, with many expecting PvE to become more of a focus for the shooter alongside the December Symbiosis update.
Beyond Marathon and Destiny, Bungie says it wants to return to simply “making games you want to play.” Whether that means a rebolstered Destiny 2, a long-awaited Destiny 3, or further evolution for Marathon remains uncertain, but Bungie has made one thing clear: Marathon isn’t going anywhere.
What do you make of Bungie’s update? Is there now more hope for Destiny 3? Share your thoughts in the official Insider Gaming Discord Server.
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Charlie is one of Insider Gaming's Guides Writers who's been in the gaming industry for a little over a year. Unfortunately for him, he enjoys every video game genre out…
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Pulling the plug on Destiny 2 support implied that. This feels like PR