Marathon did have a free beta even back before it launched, but that only included a gimped out version of the game. It didn’t allow players to access all of the maps and runner shells and progress was wiped out at launch. This new trial period will hopefully give prospective players a better sense of what to expect from Marathon and potentially hook them with that initial sense of progression and the dopamine from their first loot exfil.
And well, Marathon could really use an influx of fresh meat. Steam chart watchers have been quick to note throughout season 1 that the concurrent player numbers have continually declined. They now hover at around 10,000 instead of the initial 80,000 peak. It’s the end of the season, so that’s not shocking. But other reporting suggests the game is overall struggling to meet expectations at the moment, especially as Bungie prepares to sunset its main breadwinner, Destiny 2.
“Engagement metrics such as retention also remain at a high level,” Sony said during its last earnings call. “Going forward, we aim to improve the performance of the game by working to retain highly engaged core users through the introduction of additional content, further improvements in the game play experience and expansion of the user base.”
Bungie looks to be committed to Marathon at least through its first year, and it already has plans for storytelling that go well beyond that.