Marathon’s 1.0.0.4 update released yesterday, and while the response was mostly positive, there was one particular note that players raised an eyebrow at. Said note simply stated that Bungie had “increased the range gunfire and explosions can be heard from” in Marathon, and in practice, it’s significantly hurting the gameplay loop in the eyes of many players.
While it seems like those who were concerned about this particular change had the right to be, it’s worth reiterating that a lot of this update’s adjustments have gone over well with the community. Perimeter, which is designed to be an easier, introductory map, has benefited from an increase in med cabinets. Marathon’s thermal scopes, which very much needed a nerf, were thankfully knocked down a peg. Still, while it’s important to highlight the good, constructive criticism is just as integral to Marathon’s future — and it seems many players now have the same critique to share regarding Marathon’s sound overhaul.
PSA: Don’t Pay Attention to Marathon’s Review Bombing
Marathon is being review bombed on Metacritic, but there’s clear proof that a majority of its negative reviews can be completely ignored.
Marathon’s Sound Overhaul is Making PvP Overbearing and Hindering Playstyles
All throughout social media, threads like the above post from Reddit user Impossible-Finger942 can be found, with players lamenting the change to gunfire and explosions. Bungie’s goal was to increase PvP interactions following complaints from some parties that Marathon matches were too slow, with fights few and far between, but many players seem to be in agreement that this change wasn’t needed. Perhaps Bungie’s data indicated there wasn’t enough combat between teams going on, or maybe the studio caved to some of the bad faith Marathon criticism from those who aren’t even playing the game, but it’s clear that a lot of players preferred the sound the way it was prior to update 1.0.0.4’s release.
According to frustrated Marathon players, the sound was more fair the way it was before, with players able to hear gunfire one POI away from their current location. This allowed them to gauge where the closest group was or know if an area nearby is clear of enemy players, and they could avoid or seek out the fight from there. Following the audio overhaul, though, players can essentially hear gunfire all throughout the map, allowing PvP-obsessed Arachne members to hunt down squads who dare to fire their weapons or use explosives. Normally, shooting was safe to do if players correctly gauged that there was nothing going on in the nearest POI, but now, they’re constantly at risk and PvP interactions against aggressive opponents are all-but-guaranteed.
This change has essentially forced Marathon players to only use their knives against UESC bots, which can be tedious and lead to unnecessary downs when trying to melee stronger bots. The increase in PvP encounters has made strong Shells like the Assassin feel more necessary, too, as players are constantly ending up in fights where they could feel outmatched. Extraction shooters are meant to offer a healthy mix of PvP and PvE, but following the sound adjustment, Impossible-Finger942’s assessment that the game now feels like a “battle royale” masquerading as “something more” seems to line up with how others feel.
Marathon Will Hopefully Address The Sound Criticism Sooner Rather Than Later
With commenters feeling like Marathon’s beta testing and Server Slam had already allowed it to find a healthy audio balance, hopefully Bungie will consider reverting the change. While some may like the idea of the “server congregating wherever the first shot is fired” and the winner getting to actually do PvE and “pop the occasional rook,” others feel it will scare off new players and make contracts more frustrating than challenging. Some have also argued that the constant fighting leaves them little time to loot, as the maps are small enough that other teams can quickly reach whatever gunfire they hear. Fortunately, Bungie’s track record with requested changes has been solid so far.
Marathon issues like Rewards Pass quality, microtransactions, and early game difficulty have all been addressed within the game’s first week, with bigger changes like a UI overhaul still being worked on. Clearly, Bungie is listening to complaints, so as long as players continue to make their voices heard, the audio change will ideally be reverted so that Marathon restores the gameplay loop many were growing fond of. For now, all players can do is hope for the best, keeping their criticism as constructive as it is loud.
- Released
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March 5, 2026
- ESRB
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Teen / Animated Blood, Language, Violence, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
- Multiplayer
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Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op
