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Marathon is Bungie’s upcoming major multiplayer game and marks its first live-service release under PlayStation. This new title comes from the intense extraction shooter genre, crafted by a big-budget studio known for its high-quality production values. However, the price for Marathon upon its release this fall remains undisclosed by Bungie.
In a recent showcase, details were revealed about the sci-fi sequel to the 90s FPS trilogy, along with a release date set for September 23. This event highlighted what distinguishes Bungie’s version of the hardcore PvPvE genre. The number of players attracted at launch for the creators of Halo and Destiny may hinge significantly on the pricing of Marathon. While free-to-play seems unlikely, Sony hasn’t yet announced the cost.
According to GameSpot’s Tamoor Hussain, who recently previewed the game, Marathon will be a premium product, requiring players to pay a full price. He notes the presence of a battle pass, multiple maps with more to follow, straightforward gameplay, an ambiguous storyline, and a still-developing character progression system.
Foreboding a high price, Forbes’ Paul Tassi mentions that Bungie assured it wouldn’t be a full-priced title, potentially pointing to a $40 price tag. This echoes recent pricing strategies for reaching large audiences, akin to what Helldivers 2 charged. However, this price mirrors what Concord cost before its catastrophic and ephemeral release, raising questions about the potential advantages of free-to-play models or ties to PlayStation Plus.
Historically, Bungie hasn’t offered its games for free. Even Destiny 2, with its free version, restricts most content behind a paywall, which is understandable given the high production costs. With titles like Spider-Man 2 needing to sell millions to break even, simply relying on microtransactions isn’t feasible unless the game reaches Marvel Rivals-level popularity overnight. Currently, Marathon seems a bit too niche for instant blockbuster status.
Distinct from Destiny 2, Marathon is a PvPvE game lacking a conventional story-driven campaign, situating it within a niche genre. While most PvP games today are free-to-play, charging for entry might deter less committed players from exploring this latest offering by the creators of their nostalgic Halo 3 favorites.
Bungie and Sony are leaning on their strong brand reputation to draw players on launch day, though whether that allure will suffice to secure willing payers remains to be seen.
