Ahead of its release on March 5, Marathon developer Bungie has addressed fan feedback for its extraction shooter following the Server Slam test. With launch day fast approaching, the studio says that it has addressed several issues like input lag and communication bugs, while it’ll be keeping an eye on ammo economy, user interface updates, and more. The developer also mentioned that the more time players spent in the game, the more fun they reported having as they dug deeper into Marathon’s gameplay.
“Many Runners have maxed out their Faction Rep, adopted a Rook or two, and braved the haunted hallways of Hauler,” Bungie said. “We’ve also heard from people saying the deeper they get into progression, the more fun they are having. Tau Ceti can be unforgiving, and we can’t wait to see you next week.”
Bungie says that the request for additional queue options has been logged with the team. “Currently, you have the ability to run as a Solo–be it as Rook or as a Runner in a solo lobby)–or you can queue in with a duo or a full trio, but we have heard the feedback about duo dedicated lobbies, Bungie added. Other areas being looked at are keybinding, time-to-kill, and lowering heat generation on core movement for cleaner chases and disengages.
The studio says that it’s also examining reports of high CPU usage, as well as feedback regarding the unique user interface of Marathon. “We do plan to continue iterating post-launch and want to make sure that you’re able to easily navigate, read what’s happening mid-fight, manage your equipment effectively, and see your pings without any noise around them,” Bungie explained.
The Marathon Server Slam got off to a strong start on its first day, recording 143,000 concurrent players on Steam alone. Bungie has been offering in-game rewards to PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC players for the open event, while players also discovered that the phrase “Arc Raiders” was censored from Marathon’s in-game chat.
Bungie is also planning a no-nonsense approach when it comes to cheaters, as the studio says it’ll be handing out permabans to anyone caught cheating and that there will be no second chances.
