5 Things Marathon Could Learn From Destiny 2

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Over the last several days, there’s been a lot of buzz surrounding Bungie’s Marathon, and it’s evident that fans can’t get enough. With the game’s closed beta set to launch on April 23rd, enthusiasts have flooded social media discussing Marathon’s prospects—occasionally veering towards heated discussions.

From a player excited about Bungie’s entry into the extract-shooter genre, let me share some insights from Destiny 2 that could help Marathon steer clear of similar challenges down the line.

Engaging Gameplay Loop

As a dedicated fan with more than two thousand hours under my belt in Destiny 2, I’ve seen it all, even before I reached the one hundred-hour milestone. The gameplay feels like a loop: “shoot this,” “get that,” and “do this” type of missions, which lost their charm long before I hit the thousand-hour mark. Bungie, along with the Marathon team, seem to understand Destiny 2’s main issue lies in its repetitiveness. I eagerly await Marathon’s innovative take on the extraction shooter formula, hoping for a refreshing change of pace.

As a gamer, I’ve got to say, the blend of PvE and PvP content in this game already feels like a robust foundation for an engaging experience. It’s not a simple, one-time affair; instead, it’s ripe with endless potential if they nail the execution right.

Mitigate Cheating

It’s common knowledge that cheaters continue to plague Destiny 2’s Crucible and Trials of Osiris modes, even though Bungie has been working on solutions. Given that Marathon shares the same Tiger Engine as Destiny 2 since its inception, it doesn’t seem likely that its anti-cheat technology will be drastically different.

To clarify, it’s worth noting that Marathon does come with an initial benefit – it won’t be free-to-play at its launch. By having paywalled content in a premium game, it sets up a deterrent for certain cheaters. We’ve witnessed the issues that arise with free-to-play games such as Apex Legends and Valorant, and Marathon could potentially avoid some of those early challenges.

Ease the FOMO

Bungie has confirmed that Marathon will adopt a Seasonal Pass system, suggesting that they’re drawing from Destiny 2’s live-service approach. However, the extent of this influence remains uncertain. On one hand, it might only involve cosmetic items, weapon skins, and some resources. On the other hand, it could potentially include powerful, time-limited weapons hidden within paid battle passes.

In other words, the fear of missing out (FOMO) often motivates people to play live-service games, and Bungie isn’t exempt from this trend. If Marathon could minimize FOMO or perhaps implement something similar to Marvel Rivals’ seasonal model, where old Battle Pass content can still be unlocked even after the season ends, that would greatly benefit players.

No More Telesto

Every Destiny 2 player is well aware that Telesto, in many ways, feels like one of Bungie’s most intelligent creations jokingly speaking. However, in all seriousness, this weapon has been causing issues with the Tiger Engine for years, leading to glitches and game-altering problems that have left both players and developers scratching their heads. Telesto has earned a notorious reputation, being known as a digital bogeyman that instills dread not just among players but also developers. With each update, there’s always the apprehension of “What will Telesto wreck this time?

Running the Marathon game on an upgraded Tiger Engine, let’s cross our fingers for no Telesto-like incidents ahead. It would be great if the weaponry is finely tuned and evenly balanced right from the get-go… unless, of course, a new Telesto version unexpectedly appears.

Consistent Storyline

Fans of marathons have been eagerly awaiting more background details since Bungie first released the game in 1996. With the reintroduction of the Tau Ceti IV colony and a fresh setting, the moment seems perfect for Bungie to craft an engaging story filled with rogue AIs and alien perils.

Destiny 2 boasted some strong narrative moments, yet it became complex quickly. With Marathon, Bungie is presented with a fresh start – an opportunity to captivate both new and returning players by crafting a tale that’s engaging, easy to grasp, and immersive enough for exploration, but not so intricate that MyNameIsByf needs to create a lengthy tutorial video.

Here are five lessons I hope the Marathon team takes away from their past experiences. Despite the recent controversy surrounding the game, I sincerely wish for Marathon’s success. The upcoming release of Marathon will hit PlayStation 5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S on September 23rd, and fortunately, a PSN account is not necessary to play if you’re using a non-PlayStation 5 device.

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2025-04-15 15:42