Marathon Player Count Dropped Below that of Destiny 2, Which is 9 Years Old
Marathon is facing a difficult situation in terms of player numbers despite Bungie and PlayStation’s long-term support plans. The extraction shooter, despite not being released very long ago, has lost a significant number of players on Steam. Even more striking is that it has fallen below the active player count of Destiny 2, a game that is now 9 years old.
Marathon Falls Behind Destiny 2 on Steam
According to the latest data, Marathon reached a maximum of 12,560 concurrent players in the last 24 hours on Steam. The number of simultaneous players appears to be around 5,990. These numbers for the weekend are not very encouraging, especially for a newly released live service game with planned extensive support. The rapid decline in interest for Bungie’s new project naturally raises questions within the community.
In comparison, Destiny 2 peaked at 13,146 concurrent players on Steam during the same period, reaching 6,597 players simultaneously. These numbers aren’t particularly impressive for Destiny 2 either, but considering the game’s age, the situation is even more problematic for Marathon. Destiny 2 has been around for years and has gone through numerous content cycles.
Of course, there’s a significant difference between the two games. Destiny 2 is free-to-play, while Marathon launched this year with a $40 price tag. Despite this, Marathon’s relatively new status makes the decline even more noticeable. Furthermore, a large portion of its player base is reportedly on Steam, making Steam numbers even more important for Marathon’s overall health.
Bungie hasn’t given up on the game yet. Marathon Season 2 will be released next month, aiming to make the game more accessible for newcomers. PvE and lighter PvP-focused modes are also planned. However, in live service games, player engagement is everything. For Marathon to recover, the second season will need to create a sense of not just good, but truly powerful comeback.
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