Marathon has been playing catch-up to Arc Raiders ever since both games debuted their first player tests last year. But Bungie’s extraction shooter finally seems to have moved ahead when it comes to fair play and exploits. The development team revealed that Marathon will have a strict one-strike ban policy when it comes to cheating, which is more than can be said for Arc Raiders.
“Anyone found to be cheating will be permabanned from playing Marathon forever, no second chances,” Bungie wrote in a new blog post previewing the multiplayer shooter’s upcoming server slam on February 26. The rest of the post lays out the different features and systems Marathon uses to maintain network security and limit the kinds of exploits that could be deployed during matches.
Bungie boasts a “new server authority model” that automatically rejects “invalid client actions” before they can impact other players’ experiences. “This protects the gameplay experience against exploits such as teleporting, unlimited ammo, or damage manipulation,” Bungie writes. There’s also a “fog of war” that limits what map information each player has access to so that player and item locations remain safe from “wall hacks” or “ESP cheats.”
While “client-side security upgrades,” a telemetry “backend analysis system,” and getting your loot back if your game accidentally crashes or disconnects all sound great, the proof will be in how Marathon performs out in the wild. Destiny 2 players have dealt with a range of cheating epidemics over the years, and even the most determined teams and processes don’t always get the job done.
Arc Raiders is still dogged by complaints about rampant cheating
But one strike and you’re out for cheaters should be reassuring to people familiar with Arc Raiders‘ current cheating issues. The current extraction shooter king implemented strict permabans back in January, but only for repeat offenders. “A three strikes progressive ban system is in the process of being implemented,” read the patch notes at the time. “Bans will progress from 30 days, to 60 and finally a permaban for repeat offenders.”
The latest exploit du jour involves players spawning their own hatches to escape death. “I’ve seen mod menus and all sorts of hacks in games before but for some reason this is the most ridiculous shit to me,” says one commenter on Reddit. Fans have been begging for better exploit detection and harsher penalties for perpetrators, but so far Arc Raiders has been taking a concerted but more cautious approach to weeding out cheaters.
The game’s also suffered from a range of duplication glitches, which is bad when a scarcity of resources is a key mechanic in your game. Marathon is preparing for that potential challenge as well. “We take your investment of time seriously,” Bungie wrote. “We will strive to keep your progress safe and protected from item duplication or other economic cheats.” While that may be true, Marathon‘s first duplication glitch feels less like a matter of if than when.