Marathon didn’t have the best launch. The extraction shooter only managed to peak at around 88k concurrent players on Steam, and things still aren’t looking particularly strong. According to SteamDB, the game’s peak concurrent player count in the last 24 hours sits at just 11,398 on Steam.
For a title carrying Bungie’s name and launching with expectations tied to the studio’s history, those numbers paint a picture of a game still trying to find its footing. But Bungie isn’t giving up.
With the studio stepping away from producing new content for Destiny 2, Bungie now has more room to put its attention and resources toward Marathon. And that effort continues with the arrival of Season 2, or at least the next major step in trying to keep players invested in the game’s future.
Bungie has officially unveiled the cinematic trailer for Marathon Season 2: Nightfall, which launches on June 2, and the update appears to be bringing a decent amount of fresh content along with it. The trailer sets a darker tone this time around, with Bungie teasing that “darkness descends on Tau Ceti IV.” While the cinematic focuses heavily on atmosphere, the studio also confirmed several additions coming with the new season.
Among the biggest additions is a brand-new map featuring Night Marsh, introducing another environment for players to fight and survive in. Bungie is also adding a new Runner shell called Sentinel, giving players another option for their loadouts and playstyles.
Season 2 will also introduce The Cradle, although Bungie hasn’t fully detailed its role just yet, leaving some mystery around what players can expect. Alongside that are new weapons entering the game’s arsenal, as well as progression improvements aimed at refining the overall player experience.
The progression changes could end up being one of the more important additions in the update. Since launch, many players have pointed to systems and long-term engagement as areas that needed improvement, and updates focused on progression often play a major role in keeping players around for the long haul.
Whether Season 2 can significantly change Marathon’s trajectory remains to be seen. New maps and weapons generate excitement, but retaining players after that initial burst of attention is usually the harder challenge. Bungie has already built some of the most recognizable multiplayer experiences in gaming, and it’s clear the studio isn’t ready to walk away from Marathon.
