Bungie Responds Quickly to Marathon Microtransactions Backlash, First Patch Will Make the Game Slightly Easier

Bungie has revealed plans to change Marathon in some key ways just a few days after launch, outlining early patch notes for an update due out next week.

In a tweet, the developer said that “in the near future” it will adjust the amount of Lux, Marathon’s in-game currency, you get for the $10 bundle so that it grants 1,120 Lux, up from 1,100.

This is important because currently a runner skin costs 1,120 Lux, but you can’t buy 1,120 Lux exactly from the store. Instead, you have to spend $10 to get 1,100 Lux (just 20 Lux shy of what you need), and then another $5 to get 500 Lux on top, which in total dollar terms matches the price of the $15 bundle available from the store.

As IGN has reported, this had caused a stink within Marathon’s burgeoning community, with some players accusing Bungie of resorting to “scummy tactics” for the extraction shooter’s monetization. As a part of the change, Bungie will credit 20 Lux to players for each $10 Lux bundle they purchased before this tweak occurred.

But the virtual currency denominations aren’t the only point of contention. Marathon’s $10 Battle Pass has also been roundly criticized for not offering enough value (poor quality items, no premium currency back). And the limited supply stickers, which you can place on your weapons, can’t be applied to all your weapons.

Without going into specifics, Bungie said it was aware of the feedback on Marathon’s cosmetics. “We want to ensure that when you spend in Marathon you feel like you are getting great value and discussing ways to improve this experience,” it said.

Meanwhile, Bungie outlined early patch notes for Marathon’s first update, due out next week. All the changes seem designed to make the extraction shooter an easier experience. The highlight for me is the increased number of Med Cabinets and Munitions Crates that can spawn on the Perimeter map, and the increased amount of starting ammo in the free Sponsored Kits.

Marathon is a very difficult game in which it’s easy to run out of ammo. The enemy AI feels particularly powerful, too, so one wrong turn can end your run in the blink of an eye, especially if you don’t have the ammo to fight back.

Marathon first update early patch notes:

• Increased the distance objective nav points appear from 10m to 20m.
• Increased the number of Med Cabinets and Munitions Crates that can spawn on Perimeter.
• Increased the amount of starting ammo in MIDA, CyberAcme, and Arachne free Sponsored Kits.

I’ve seen plenty of debate about these balance changes, with some saying they’re much needed, others expressing concern that what’s important about the Marathon experience – this ultra challenging extraction loop and the slow but rewarding power climb – is diminished by what they believe is an effort to make the game more palatable to casual players.

As I’ve mentioned in previous reporting, part of the challenge comes from the very nature of Marathon as an extraction shooter. If you die, you lose all your gear. And not just what you looted while out on the battlefield, but what you brought in. And given how easy it is to die in Marathon, it can feel like a brutally punishing video game.

Are people bouncing off Marathon because of this? Are some put off by its steep learning curve? In the two days Marathon has been live, it hit a peak Steam concurrent player count of 88,337. While that’s an impressive start for most video games (and let’s not forget Marathon is also out on consoles), is it enough for Bungie, which is under pressure to deliver for its owner Sony after recent financial failings?

We’ve got plenty more on Marathon, including one Bungie developer’s commitment to “fontslop,” and Bungie’s words of reassurance on Marathon’s difficulty curve. Check out IGN’s Marathon review so far to find out what we think.

If you’re jumping into Marathon, check out IGN’s Beginner’s Guide and Tips guide to familiarize yourself with how the game works (and don’t forget to check out the Things to Do First!). You’ll likely find yourself running out of inventory space pretty fast, so find out how to get more in our How to Unlock More Backpack Slots guide, and if you’re playing with a controller, make sure you’re applying the Best Controller Settings.