So here we are, folks. Bungie’s Marathon is coming in September, and while they’re promising an explosive new entry into the extraction shooter genre, there’s a nagging question at the back of my mind: What if this ends up like Concord—all ambition and polish with little to show for it once the dust settles? You know, the kind of game that looks great in the trailer but fades into obscurity after a few months.

Marathon drops on 23 September 2025, 24 September (GMT+8) for PS5, Xbox Series X | S, and PC, and while it might sound like a thrilling venture into the unknown, let’s pump the brakes a little before we get too carried away.

You’re a Runner, Not a Hero

You’re playing as a “Runner”—basically a mercenary with all the charm of a bio-synthetic cyborg and none of the humanity. In theory, you get to pick from six classes, each with its own unique set of abilities. But, let’s be honest, that’s not a lot of variety when compared to games like Warframe or Destiny—and the Warframe community has had years to perfect their mercenary lifestyle.

You’ve got the basics: tanks (Locus), stealth (Void), and scouts (Blackbird). Sure, they sound fun, but with only six classes, this game’s future will hinge on whether Bungie can deliver meaningful updates and keep things fresh post-launch. And based on Bungie’s track record, they don’t always get that right.

Looting For Loot’s Sake

Marathon’s core is built on a familiar extraction loop—get in, loot, and pray you can get out alive. Sure, you can stash your loot for future runs if you survive, but here’s the thing: the tension doesn’t last forever.

Once the novelty of that adrenaline-filled escape wears off, what’s left? Another firefight, another scramble for loot, and another harsh reminder that losing everything can sting like a slap in the face.

There’s a reason games like Escape from Tarkov are so brutal: the stakes are high, but they feel real. Marathon promises high-stakes gameplay, but without meaningful progression or long-term hooks, it could very well fall into the trap of feeling repetitive and fast.

PvPvE: It’s Not As Fun As It Sounds

Bungie promises a dynamic world where you’ll be facing off against rival players, AI enemies, and strange, otherworldly threats. But here’s where it gets dicey: dynamic doesn’t always mean exciting.

Random weather events and map changes might sound like great features, but they’re also the type of gimmicks that can get old after just a handful of matches. After all, how long can you keep coming back to a game where the unpredictable weather is the only thing making it feel “fresh”?

If Marathon doesn’t provide enough variety in its objectives and combat encounters, it could easily become a grind—a problem that a lot of live-service games have faced in recent years.

Three Maps—That’s It?

Let’s talk maps. Bungie is launching with three—yes, three—maps. Now, I don’t know about you, but that sounds like a recipe for burnout, especially when you’re supposed to be playing over the long haul. Bungie’s argument is that these maps are dense and memorable, but how many times can you run the same loop before it feels like you’ve seen every nook and cranny? If there’s no variety in the environments or objectives, it’s going to feel like a battle royale game that’s just too small and too predictable.

Sure, Bungie says more maps will come over time, but if history has taught us anything, it’s that “more content” can sometimes be code for “we’ll add it when we feel like it”—and by then, most players will have already moved on to the next big thing.

The Gear Issue: Balance or Bust?

There’s a serious concern that Marathon’s gear-based progression will favour veteran players with better equipment. While Bungie promises systems to level the playing field, the reality is that high-level gear will always give players an edge. If you enter a match under-equipped, you’re likely just cannon fodder for someone who’s been grinding for hours.

It’s hard to shake the feeling that Marathon could fall into the same pitfall that killed games like Concord—a game that tried to lure you in with the promise of big rewards but couldn’t maintain a balanced experience once the initial excitement wore off.

A Beautiful, Yet Hollow World?

The world of Marathon is gorgeous, and Bungie is right to celebrate its dystopian aesthetic. But the world feels like it might be all style, with little substance underneath. While the game’s story will unfold over time, will players care enough to stick around? It’s not like the original Marathon trilogy’s story was exactly groundbreaking, and the potential for this new entry to become another flash-in-the-pan shooter is all too real.

It’s a tricky balance: Bungie must deliver a long-term world to which players feel connected. And while they’re throwing in seasonal resets to keep things fresh, they could easily fall into a pattern of offering just enough to keep players hooked without ever offering true depth.

Another High-Risk Bungie Gamble

Marathon is Bungie’s attempt to redefine the extraction shooter genre. But the question remains: will it stick, or will it fade into obscurity like Concord—another ambitious game that ultimately couldn’t find its legs?

Bungie has proven that they can create beautiful worlds and engaging mechanics, but they have also stumbled before. Marathon could be an incredible game that rises above expectations—but only if it can overcome its inherent design flaws, lack of content variety, and a progression system that could leave newcomers feeling like they’re stuck in a constant loop of getting obliterated by the veterans.

Time will tell, but if history has taught us anything, Marathon might just be another casualty of a market that chews up and spits out the hopeful.

Marathon is promising, but there’s a real chance it could fall victim to the same fate as Concord. If Bungie doesn’t deliver the goods, we might be looking at a game that fails to capture the long-term engagement it needs to survive.