Recently, Bungie showcased early footage of its upcoming first-person extraction shooter, Marathon, in a live stream. The reveal generated a mix of excitement and skepticism on social media and Reddit, with some speculating that it might face a similar fate to Concord. Concord, another game in the hero shooter genre, was taken offline by Sony shortly after its release. Addressing these concerns, a former developer from the Concord team made a plea on the Marathon subreddit for players to approach the game with an open mind.
Reflecting on the experience with Concord, the developer, posting under the username MrSpug on Reddit, shared, “Concord struggled to capture players’ enthusiasm, and the feedback was undeniable. It was heartbreaking to witness our project’s downfall and watch it become a target for ridicule online.”
This developer, previously part of Firewalk Studios before the studio’s closure by Sony, expressed empathy for the team at Bungie. They acknowledged the substantial effort that went into Marathon and praised the developers for venturing into such a fiercely competitive market.
They further shared, “I poured my heart into Concord. Though we didn’t achieve our goals, others shouldn’t have to bear the weight of our missteps.”
While Marathon and Concord are distinct in their gameplay, both share the same publisher, Sony. One significant debate from the Marathon stream revolved around its pricing model—specifically Bungie’s decision not to adopt a free-to-play approach. Unlike many new releases, Marathon’s price is set to be lower. Bungie hinted that it would cost less than a standard full-price game, likely around $40 when it debuts in September. Yet, this pricing choice has left some wondering if Marathon will meet a fate similar to Concord’s.
In a follow-up response to their initial post, the former Concord team member noted, “I’m not one to typically put myself in the spotlight as if vying for attention,” they explained. “But to label this game as a failure before it even hits the shelves is, frankly, beyond reason.”
