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[KyoZz]

LMAO love this kind of coping, from the Tweet:

"yes the 768 million dollar impairment loss is scary for anyone who is a Bungie fan and wants their games to succeed. I'd also imagine its terrifying for the People working at Bungie considering how unstable job stability seems to be in the industry and really hope everyone working at Bungie is doing okay.

However I do not believe"

"Stop talking with your ass" ask the guy talking with his ass. And anyone thinking Marathon will peak again/higher than 88K is delusional, Sony included.

 

[Bonfires Down]

I don't want to play in a group with assholes. Give me a solo mode and I will look at it.

 

[ByWatterson]

It needs to have a full multiplayer suite and casual-friendly modes.

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

I don't want to play in a group with assholes. Give me a solo mode and I will look at it.

This might be the most important addition to S2. A proper solo and/or duo mode will be huge.

Edit: The poll in this thread was almost an afterthought. Interesting to see 23% have some hope. I assumed it would be way lower.

 

[falconhoof]

Marathon never made it off the launch pad.

This chart doesn't even show the whole picture. Destiny 2 was 2 years old by the time it came to Steam, so these D2 numbers don't even begin to show how much bigger that game was and today, in it's worst state, is performing within a few percent of Marathon's numbers.

Marathon never made it off the launch pad.

It's not a tweak or two from success. It's a problem with extra baggage of having a poor launch that people will remember it by.

Tweets from the game director talking about free sponsored kits won't bring the masses, they don't know what kits are and why a sponsored one means something.

 

[brokenwatch]

I'll play again when they implement your Jaws theme suggestion for the team with the most kills.

 

[Guardian Monkey]

When would be feasible for Sony to pull the plug? What happens to the people that paid for the game? They going to refund everyone?

Probably not, so they have to keep it going in some form. If they just shut down a game out for 3 months and didn't refund they would get torched by the media and wouldn't be a good look for the company. I imagine we see ps plus next. Maybe gamepass like someone mentioned. If that doesn't boost engagement then ftp as last resort.

 

[Hollywood Hitman]

When would be feasible for Sony to pull the plug? What happens to the people that paid for the game? They going to refund everyone?

Probably not, so they have to keep it going in some form. If they just shut down a game out for 3 months and didn't refund they would get torched by the media and wouldn't be a good look for the company. I imagine we see ps plus next. Maybe gamepass like someone mentioned. If that doesn't boost engagement then ftp as last resort.

I think it'll just end up being playable but no more major updates, that's why this is all so fascinating imo because it's way past the point of a refund window. I think it'll just sorta fade.

 

[S0ULZB0URNE]

How about a real poll?

 

[Unknown Soldier]

They would have to rebuild the whole game to be casual friendly like Arc Raiders, give it normal visuals like Arc or Escape from Tarkov, add a variety of different game modes and things for players to do besides kill each other, and probably go F2P to get people to try it instead of just sticking with Arc and Tarkov

So basically spend a lot of money on top of the $250 million already spent while making the whole studio 10 times more efficient at actually making content than Bungie normally are

Yeah... Bungie is dead.

 

[Three]

I think it'll just end up being playable but no more major updates, that's why this is all so fascinating imo because it's way past the point of a refund window. I think it'll just sorta fade.

I don't know about that, seems like they're teasing updates and even mentioning support in financial reports. I mean Grounded 2 has less than half the CCU of Marathon and is getting a update in the summer.

 

[LuxFixxins]

 

[RPS37]

Make it way easier or make it a legit campaign. Hah

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

 

[GermanZepp]

C'mon marathon you can do it!

 

[Hollywood Hitman]

I don't know about that, seems like they're teasing updates and even mentioning support in financial reports. I mean Grounded 2 has less than half the CCU of Marathon and is getting a update in the summer.

May get a few more but if the numbers dwindle continually as they are, how can they keep throwing money at that?

 

[Shubh_C63]

Even before launch that's what I always assumed. Destiny pvp fans are addicted to this game.
In a perfect world all bungie fans would cycle between playing PvE Destiny and PvP Marathon leaving no time for any other devs game.

 

[Three]

May get a few more but if the numbers dwindle continually as they are, how can they keep throwing money at that?

The retention is actually good compared to a lot of other games. They normally don't dwindle continually to zero and they don't throw money indefinitely either. Look at Grounded 2 where it had a lower peak and went flat at around ~2k (much lower than Marathons current 13k)

That got an update in January and is getting another one in June/July. How long they support it I don't know but if Grounded 2 is getting updates with a CCU thats 5-6x smaller I dont see why Marathon couldn't get support for a year or more too. They're saying they will continue to support the game.

 

[Hollywood Hitman]

The retention is actually good compared to a lot of other games. They normally don't dwindle continually to zero and they don't throw money indefinitely either. Look at Grounded 2 where it had a lower peak and went flat at around ~2k (much lower than Marathons current 13k)

That got an update in January and is getting another one in June/July. How long they support it I don't know but if Grounded 2 is getting updates with a CCU thats 5-6x smaller I dont see why Marathon couldn't get support for a year or more too. They're saying they will continue to support the game.

But it hasn't hit a floor, it's continually dropping numbers. There's just imo no way to spin a positive currently at all, maybe if something major changes and numbers jump but it's current situation is not ideal in any shape or form

 

[Three]

But it hasn't hit a floor, it's continually dropping numbers. There's just imo no way to spin a positive currently at all, maybe if something major changes and numbers jump but it's current situation is not ideal in any shape or form

Let's say it hasn't hit a floor (the graph suggests that it has) in 2 months its still 5-6x higher than Grounded 2.

Whether the situation is ideal or not I don't know (ideal would obviously be as high as possible for as long as possible) but the data shows that games get support with much lower numbers and retention. So when they say they're supporting it it's not farfetched to think that they will.

 

[Hollywood Hitman]

Let's say it hasn't hit a floor (the graph suggests that it has) in 2 months its still 5-6x higher than Grounded 2.

Whether the situation is ideal or not I don't know (ideal would obviously be as high as possible for as long as possible) but the data shows that games get support with much lower numbers and retention. So when they say they're supporting it it's not farfetched to think that they will.

Not sure tho what grounded 2 is or who makes it but the issue is I'm sure it's a small team that is able to survive on a smaller audience for a smaller caliber game.

Bungie is enormous and if the game they're banking on isn't bringing in any cash which it isn't at all, it's not even moving the needle that'll be a huge problem. The fact that bungie is such a large studio is why these small numbers won't sustain it

 

[Kronark]

Sony has 3 options with Marathon:

1) Cut their losses ASAP. Finish and launch S2 and kill development immediately.
+ Cheapest option
- Burns a lot of good will / brand reputation.

2) Bare minimum commitment. Dev up to S3-S4 and see if things improve with tweaks.
+ Very low shot at some kind of natural turnaround in player sentiment.
+ Saves good will / reputation. Players will see the minimum commitment fulfilled and understand why the game just isn't viable financially.
- Incurs further losses from dev and ties up resources.

3) Massive pivot or relaunch. PvE campaign is probably not in the cards, but could pivot to an arena shooter, battle royale, horde mode, or multiple modes without too much cost.
+ Probably the only real shot at long term success.
- Could be the most expensive option and still not succeed.

Sony is somewhere between 2 and 3 imo, they look like they're going to continue with S2 - S3 development as scheduled. I don't think free to play is in the cards short term. It would piss people off and they already have a massive cheater problem, maybe they try it 6+ months from now in desperation.

The move of 100 devs onto Marathon could be read two different ways:
a) They're trying to massively rework Marathon into something new in a short term.
b) They've given up on Destiny completely and this is a temporary shift in resources toward Marathon S2,3,4 until they sort out layoffs.}

Edit: There is also a chance that player counts get so low Sony doesn't even get to choose. If it gets down to 500-1000 CCU with constant matchmaking issues the game might just die completely.

 

[Three]

Not sure tho what grounded 2 is or who makes it but the issue is I'm sure it's a small team that is able to survive on a smaller audience for a smaller caliber game.

Bungie is enormous and if the game they're banking on isn't bringing in any cash which it isn't at all, it's not even moving the needle that'll be a huge problem. The fact that bungie is such a large studio is why these small numbers won't sustain it

XGS make Grounded 2. It took two studios to make it, Eidos-Montréal and Obsidian Entertainment. The size is determined by the work required for seasons. Bungie put a fraction of their team on Marathon not the whole large studio. They do need to make money though to support the studio.

 

[Hollywood Hitman]

XGS make Grounded 2. It took two studios to make it, Eidos-Montréal and Obsidian Entertainment. The size is determined by the work required for seasons. Bungie put a fraction of their team on Marathon not the whole large studio. They do need to make money though to support the studio.

But they have more now on it than previously, and destiny 2 is about done... So they have two lame games, just not gonna bode well imo

 

[falconhoof]

XGS make Grounded 2. It took two studios to make it, Eidos-Montréal and Obsidian Entertainment. The size is determined by the work required for seasons. Bungie put a fraction of their team on Marathon not the whole large studio. They do need to make money though to support the studio.

Marathon was not a small team. Sure, not as big as some of the AAA behemoths, but it was no small fry effort. You don't spent $250M on a handful of developers.

https://www.mobygames.com/game/245427/marathon/credits/windows/?autoplatform=true

Based on an at a glance review, Marathon team looks bigger than Grounded 2 (despite it involving two studios)

https://www.mobygames.com/game/245686/grounded-2/credits/windows/?autoplatform=true

 

[Bernardougf]

I dont think a post represents what COPIUM is more than this one.

 

[dreamstation]

I'd like to know the percentage of votes in the poll by people that have actually played the game.

 

[Three]

Marathon was not a small team. Sure, not as big as some of the AAA behemoths, but it was no small fry effort. You don't spent $250M on a handful of developers.

https://www.mobygames.com/game/245427/marathon/credits/windows/?autoplatform=true

Based on an at a glance review, Marathon team looks bigger than Grounded 2 (despite it involving two studios)

https://www.mobygames.com/game/245686/grounded-2/credits/windows/?autoplatform=true

We're not talking about its development budget we're talking about continued content support for seasons. The team was only 300 people (not 2700) and that was last year before release. Now it is likely smaller.

But they have more now on it than previously, and destiny 2 is about done... So they have two lame games, just not gonna bode well imo

More than before as in during initial development? I doubt that. We're talking about content support. Bode well or not Bungie have confirmed continued support and they say they have years of content.

 

[Sohurmk833]

I'm just counting the days until i can finally piss on Bungies grave.

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

We're not talking about its development budget we're talking about continued content support for seasons. The team was only 300 people (not 2700) and that was last year before release. Now it is likely smaller.

It's over 400 now.

 

[falconhoof]

We're not talking about its development budget we're talking about continued content support for seasons. The team was only 300 people (not 2700) and that was last year before release. Now it is likely smaller.


More than before as in during initial development? I doubt that. We're talking about content support. Bode well or not Bungie have confirmed continued support and they say they have years of content.

I called it out because you used the term "fraction", which feels like weighted language to mean a very small group. Like some skunkworks group in the order of the office. Though I don't think the team was as big as Destiny 2, it was clearly not "fraction".

Also, ignore those stupid 2000+ numbers on Mobygames, that's just a list of anyone and everyone who had some passing involvement in the project. My comparison was done by looking at the main body of staff that were hands on with the project. The artists, programmers, designers, animators, etc...

 

[Three]

I called it out because you used the term "fraction", which feels like weighted language to mean a very small group. Like some skunkworks group in the order of the office. Though I don't think the team was not as big as Destiny 2, it was clearly not "fraction".

Fraction just means not the whole. 300 is a pretty small fraction of the 2700 in the moby link you posted.

Also, ignore those stupid 2000+ numbers on Mobygames, that's just a list of anyone and everyone who had some passing involvement in the project. My comparison was done by looking at the main body of staff that were hands on with the project. The artists, programmers, designers, animators, etc...

Fair enough.