As ‘Marathon’ Goes On Sale, Is A Free-To-Play Switch In The Cards?
Forbes • • technology
Key Points:
- Bungie's new IP, Marathon, has been losing players rapidly since launch, prompting concerns about its long-term viability despite not being at risk of shutdown.
- The game has introduced casual-friendly features like an "even playing field" kit mode and mercy-based events, but these have had mixed results, including increased trolling.
- Marathon recently launched on Xbox with a 20% discount, but poor performance on the platform raises questions about whether switching to free-to-play could help boost its player base.
- The article argues against a free-to-play model, citing reasons such as a recent free trial event, the difficulty for new players to access advanced content, the need for revenue from sales and microtransactions, and increased cheating risks.
- A potential path forward might involve continued iteration and innovative gameplay changes, with Rainbow Six Siege's turnaround—partly through going free-to-play—as a distant but complex example to consider.
