• Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!

Marathon approaching 15k CCU low (sponsored by coachmcguirk91 - still having a blast)

IMG-0056.jpg


IMG-0058.jpg


This battle is intense. $4bn ASS GAAS game with on-going support from a team of 400 full time devs vs a SP game made by about a dozen people, most of them part timers.
 
A deathmatch mode (PVP or PVE) with no gear lost to try the weapons and get to know the maps. Maybe with a ranked option that limit your build with designated points to gear for balancing out. If you want better firepower, shields or items you go to the exctraction mode, you extract the gear to play in both modes-.
 
GermanZepp said:
A deathmatch mode (PVP or PVE) with no gear lost to try the weapons and get to know the maps. Maybe with a ranked option that limit your build with designated points to gear for balancing out. If you want better firepower, shields or items you go to the exctraction mode, you extract the gear to play in both modes-.
Click to expand...
TDM or DM mode would be fun but they would need completely new maps for that.
 
Dr. Samuel Hayden said:
blog.playstation.com

PlayStation Store: April 2026’s top downloads

Robotic partners and teammates led the charts in April.
blog.playstation.com blog.playstation.com

gone christmas GIF
Click to expand...
Shooter bro game Ready or Not even beat it. That game came out a year ago on consoles and isnt even a game played a lot on Steam. Steamdb shows it has a daily CCU range of about 5 - 15k. Kind of similar to marathon lately. But since Marathon sales are so low on consoles to begin with compared to PC gamers, no doubt it fall off the PS charts. Last time someone checked Marathon on Xbox it was around 100th. Probably more by now.
 
Last edited:
falconhoof said:
Is it time to wheel out the line "I heard that staff morale is really good", how about "Sony put more staff on the game, clearly a sign of confidence"
Click to expand...

Imagine this situation where Bungie goes "hey Sony feeling good, my game still blasting. Anyway could lend me another 200 millions for the next phase and marketing? Thanks"
 
I love the suggestions.

The issue with adding any other mode is that new mode could(and imho would immediately) become more popular than the extraction mode.

At least with a SP mode they could make the content finite and eventually lure you back to the main mode.

So the extraction mode they have is very niche. So if they add a BR mode or TDM mode, then new people WOULD come and play the game but you would quickly see the majority of the population treat the extraction mode like they treat ranked right now.

Look at how the eyes of Marathon fans lit up when sponsored Dire Marsh playlist existed and how worried they were about it leaving. That experimental queue was probably super fun to the people who don't like the extraction side of the genre. Thus you risk trading out what is considered a masterpiece extraction game, which would then be population ganked by quickly added BR and TDM modes on non-bespoke maps that they slap together.

Just remember the reason that it is harder for Marathon to recover than other games is that other games(NMS) launched as terrible games. According to the very hardcore fanbase this game is very good already.

So you can't just add things without considering the negative impact it could have on the extraction mode. If the extraction mode is not a popular mode in the future then I think the players that love Marathon today would be the biggest haters of it tomorrow.
 
Zacfoldor said:
I love the suggestions.

The issue with adding any other mode is that new mode could(and imho would immediately) become more popular than the extraction mode.

At least with a SP mode they could make the content finite and eventually lure you back to the main mode.

So the extraction mode they have is very niche. So if they add a BR mode or TDM mode, then new people WOULD come and play the game but you would quickly see the majority of the population treat the extraction mode like they treat ranked right now.

Look at how the eyes of Marathon fans lit up when sponsored Dire Marsh playlist existed and how worried they were about it leaving. That experimental queue was probably super fun to the people who don't like the extraction side of the genre. Thus you risk trading out what is considered a masterpiece extraction game, which would then be population ganked by quickly added BR and TDM modes on non-bespoke maps that they slap together.

Just remember the reason that it is harder for Marathon to recover than other games is that other games(NMS) launched as terrible games. According to the very hardcore fanbase this game is very good already.

So you can't just add things without considering the negative impact it could have on the extraction mode. If the extraction mode is not a popular mode in the future then I think the players that love Marathon today would be the biggest haters of it tomorrow.
Click to expand...
But I think that's the issue, the hardcore players saying it's a very good game already is the problem imo because good games don't need convincing.
 
BennyBlanco said:
IMG-3911.jpg


Turns out roguelike deckbuilders were the omega genre all along. Thoughts Men_in_Boxes Men_in_Boxes ?
Click to expand...
The Roguelite and Extraction genres are essentially identical.

Slay the Spire can be experienced and enjoyed by everyone from fast twitch, high skill gamers all the way down to those recovering from a stroke. Marathon can't.

The future of Extraction is on the other side of ARC Raiders.

#TheOmegaGenreIndeed
 
PeteBull said:
ZidxX9.gif
Click to expand...
That's like when I found AI. I even did that at the window and saw the dirigible.

Also reminiscent of Men_in_Boxes Men_in_Boxes first round of Marathon.

Sorry, this was off topic. I'll go dig something CCU related up I can edit in this post, lol. BRB.

Edit: That's interesting. Did they remove the sponsored dire marsh queue? I can't find any Bungie commentary on that yet but that was a very popular mode.
 
Last edited:
winjer said:
That probably means it sold 100k to 300k. That is really poor sales.
Click to expand...

That's a shame for Saros, let me ask tho... Who else thinks these devs need to start backing away from all these fucking genres like rogues and what not? To me from my vantage point I love seeing different ideas but these extractions, rogues etc...are feeling overboard.

Then a standard action rpg like Crimson desert sells millions, and it isn't tryin to be all hardcore it's just a huge enticing world, full of gear and quests, and it works.

Like I want to play saros eventually here but deep down I don't need all this mixing of bullet hell, rogue etc... Give me that world as just a normal exploring video game, I just think these genres are off putting to people and is why we see some low sales for them
 
Hollywood Hitman said:
That's a shame for Saros, let me ask tho... Who else thinks these devs need to start backing away from all these fucking genres like rogues and what not? To me from my vantage point I love seeing different ideas but these extractions, rogues etc...are feeling overboard.

Then a standard action rpg like Crimson desert sells millions, and it isn't tryin to be all hardcore it's just a huge enticing world, full of gear and quests, and it works.

Like I want to play saros eventually here but deep down I don't need all this mixing of bullet hell, rogue etc... Give me that world as just a normal exploring video game, I just think these genres are off putting to people and is why we see some low sales for them
Click to expand...
It doesn't appeal to me either, but they have low overhead and have a dedicated audience. Marathon would be a success if they were as small as Housemarque.
 
Hari Seldon said:
It doesn't appeal to me either, but they have low overhead and have a dedicated audience. Marathon would be a success if they were as small as Housemarque.
Click to expand...
Oh yea I agree. But I think both games share that sentiment that they have these niche type genres and I think it hurts them.

Now if HM for example says hey we're fine with the sales we get then that's different, I mean theyre making what they want and that's fine but if these lower sales mean trouble I go back to the style of games they're making.

I just think they need to lay off these niche type game genres if making money is their goal
 
Men_in_Boxes said:
There's something called Oppositional Defiance Dissorder and I might be bumping into that. The mountains of "It's too hardcore to be successful" accusations by basically everyone has now been followed up by "It's not hardcore at all".

I love arguing on NeoGAF but some things are too retarded to jump into.
Click to expand...
You know I love you like that one eyed cat I feed sardines to, but won't let in the house right? If I was in Brazil right now, I'd let you watch City of God through my window brother.

You've touched on a real problem with how the game is being described though. Take Helldivers II - friendly fire, squishy characters, revive mechanic. Does that quanitfy as hardcore? The main issue is that people are calling the game hardcore to describe the skill ceiling. 'Marathon is hardcore' and that means people are dropping off/leaving. People making progress and having better gear is equated to a high skill ceiling, when in fact it is more about abusing the meta and poor game design.

If a multiplayer game wants to stand a chance, it needs ot feel FAIR and it has a chance of finding a big audience. You used an example yourself - Rainbow Six Siege is a perfect example of how Ubisoft hyper focused on the tactical and lethal nature of the game and grew it into a behemoth after a middling launch. Look at the Siege CCU - that's a healthy game that is intimidating to newcomers yet manages to retain them. Why? Because players feel the improvement curve as they play more from their own skill. There's no feeling of being at a disadvantage from a gear, attachment or gadget pov. Even when you had to use renown for attachments you never felt they were game changing. And it has reinvented itself multiple times. It's also fair - you lose, you reset, next game everyone back on even footing. Marathon you lose, and your disadvantage compounds.

Marathon literally has nowhere to go right now - in fact after thinking a while I actually think increasing the lethality would be better for Marathon. No revives might actually stop these squads trying to gank others if they are dropped to spectate when clipped and their buddies are still playing - risk. Those moments you get in R6, CS, COD and Valorant with clutch 1 v 3 are just not possible in Marathon. You occassionally get a decent rook clip, or someone who takes a poor matchmade team by surprise but you never really feel there is a tense battle which led to a proper seat of the pants clutch moment.

The more I've thought about it though, I'm not sure just dropping PvE will sort this out. I think if they wanted to do this going away and relaunching as Marathon: <subtitle> it might work. But looking at games like toxiccommando already struggling for PvE players due to population, and even mp modes like Yotei legends can quickly kill any enthusiasm. Then the question is will it tempt people to part with $40? Well, not just one quickly cobbled together mode, no.

The reason that the discussions of how to 'fix' Marathon are so nebulous and broad is because aside from the art style, it just doesn't have a strong enough identity. Generally speaking people are not playing Arc as an extraction shooter and it is finding an audience. People are not playing Marathon like an extraction shooter and it's dying.
 
Hollywood Hitman said:
Being good at something, doesn't equate to said thing being good tho.
Click to expand...
It does for the people who enjoy it.

cormack12 said:
You know I love you like that one eyed cat I feed sardines to, but won't let in the house right? If I was in Brazil right now, I'd let you watch City of God through my window brother.

You've touched on a real problem with how the game is being described though. Take Helldivers II - friendly fire, squishy characters, revive mechanic. Does that quanitfy as hardcore? The main issue is that people are calling the game hardcore to describe the skill ceiling. 'Marathon is hardcore' and that means people are dropping off/leaving. People making progress and having better gear is equated to a high skill ceiling, when in fact it is more about abusing the meta and poor game design.

If a multiplayer game wants to stand a chance, it needs ot feel FAIR and it has a chance of finding a big audience. You used an example yourself - Rainbow Six Siege is a perfect example of how Ubisoft hyper focused on the tactical and lethal nature of the game and grew it into a behemoth after a middling launch. Look at the Siege CCU - that's a healthy game that is intimidating to newcomers yet manages to retain them. Why? Because players feel the improvement curve as they play more from their own skill. There's no feeling of being at a disadvantage from a gear, attachment or gadget pov. Even when you had to use renown for attachments you never felt they were game changing. And it has reinvented itself multiple times. It's also fair - you lose, you reset, next game everyone back on even footing. Marathon you lose, and your disadvantage compounds.

Marathon literally has nowhere to go right now - in fact after thinking a while I actually think increasing the lethality would be better for Marathon. No revives might actually stop these squads trying to gank others if they are dropped to spectate when clipped and their buddies are still playing - risk. Those moments you get in R6, CS, COD and Valorant with clutch 1 v 3 are just not possible in Marathon. You occassionally get a decent rook clip, or someone who takes a poor matchmade team by surprise but you never really feel there is a tense battle which led to a proper seat of the pants clutch moment.

The more I've thought about it though, I'm not sure just dropping PvE will sort this out. I think if they wanted to do this going away and relaunching as Marathon: <subtitle> it might work. But looking at games like toxiccommando already struggling for PvE players due to population, and even mp modes like Yotei legends can quickly kill any enthusiasm. Then the question is will it tempt people to part with $40? Well, not just one quickly cobbled together mode, no.

The reason that the discussions of how to 'fix' Marathon are so nebulous and broad is because aside from the art style, it just doesn't have a strong enough identity. Generally speaking people are not playing Arc as an extraction shooter and it is finding an audience. People are not playing Marathon like an extraction shooter and it's dying.
Click to expand...
Easy NeoGAF Post of the Week winner. I will dunk all over it when I have the time. Get the lube out, I'm coming for you.
 
Men_in_Boxes said:
It does for the people who enjoy it.


Easy NeoGAF Post of the Week winner. I will dunk all over it when I have the time. Get the lube out, I'm coming for you.
Click to expand...
I understand that but it's a game that needs people to function, and on a grand scale it's been rejected so to me that's says most of the time shit products are what generally get rejected, and it's absolutely a shit product.
 
I would assume they're still underwater on Saros, though nothing like as bad as Marathon (hundreds of millions of dollars under excluding the acquisition cost, and getting worse by the day).
 
Conflict NZ said:
Wow first day spending 15 hours under 10K, I didn't think that would happen for another week. Today's numbers are really bad so far.
Click to expand...

yeah, this is bad. real bad.

Code: 
| Game      | Date UTC       | Hours | Avg CCU | Peak CCU | Player-hours | DAU range      | DAU midpoint |
| Destiny 2 | Wed 2026-05-06 | 21.0  | 7,857   | 10,876   | 164,990      | 54,997-131,992 | 82,495       |
| Marathon  | Wed 2026-05-06 | 21.0  | 7,821   | 13,330   | 164,245      | 54,748-131,396 | 82,123       |

Grabbed a 21 hour slice of today to see how the games are comparing and D2 is slightly winning again, but it's all so close.
 
Darchaos said:
And they tryed so hard at the start with payed streamers and media to make a positive spin about it, all was just a charade and now it comes crumble down like king absolutely nothing.
Click to expand...

And it's like all for what? Because they wanted to coddle the fucking blue haired shit bags at bungie to make them feel good about the trash they designed?

I don't care that it's subjective those characters are the most trash fucking things I ever seen in gaming, no dude should enjoy those fetish ugly ass bitches
 
Hollywood Hitman said:
That's a shame for Saros, let me ask tho... Who else thinks these devs need to start backing away from all these fucking genres like rogues and what not? To me from my vantage point I love seeing different ideas but these extractions, rogues etc...are feeling overboard.

Then a standard action rpg like Crimson desert sells millions, and it isn't tryin to be all hardcore it's just a huge enticing world, full of gear and quests, and it works.

Like I want to play saros eventually here but deep down I don't need all this mixing of bullet hell, rogue etc... Give me that world as just a normal exploring video game, I just think these genres are off putting to people and is why we see some low sales for them
Click to expand...

Kind of like how after GTA3 there were endless copycat open world crime games. I had a good time with a few, then it got old real fast.

Same thing with Saros, but to your point it's a more off-putting genre to most. I liked Binding of Isaac and Sifu was kind of ok but I didn't have time for Returnal's bull crap by the time I got to that one. Therefore, I won't be bothering with Saros which looks like more of the same trend-chasing junk. I'd rather have Dead Nation 2 to be honest.

I'd guess a lot of people feel the same way about Marathon.
 
Last edited:
TheAtomicPile said:
Kind of like how after GTA3 there were endless copycat open world crime games. I had a good time with a few, then it got old real fast.

Same thing with Saros, but to your point it's a more off-putting genre to most. I liked Binding of Isaac and Sifu was kind of ok but I didn't have time for Returnal's bull crap by the time I got to that one. Therefore, I won't be bothering with Saros which looks like more of the same trend-chasing junk. I'd rather have Dead Nation 2 to be honest.

I'd guess a lot of people feel the same way about Marathon.
Click to expand...
Yea it's like the souls genre, I absolutely love it but I realize it alienates a ton of gamers and it started to get to where every game is tryin to utilize souls traits and it's like no, not every game needs to be some hardcore genre like that.

Like to me returnal has an amazing world but I always hated the bullet hell stuff. Same with rogue, not a fan... But that world looks amazing and I loved the lore, loved the atmosphere... Game would've been 100x better as some deep action adventure game imo.

But yea I think extraction, rogue, battle royale, these are all genres that most people don't want so the lack of sales in some of these games I think proves it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Marathon Server Slam CCU Watch
15 16 17 18 19
923
4K
PeteBull replied
  • Poll
The Marathon (Full Release) CCU Prediction Thread...
3 4 5 6 7
329
2K
yurinka replied
  • Locked
Marathon has yet to crack 100k CCU on steam after 1 month of release
Opinion 
8
205
Orpheus replied
When is the last game where you were a Certified Blast Haver™️? (No Crimson Desert or Marathon allowed! OLDER GAMES ONLY)
2 3
141
773
Bondo replied
Avowed first impressions 'really long post': I'm having a blast.
Opinion Spoilers 
40
456
seb85 replied
Top Bottom