On April 12, Bungie’s anticipated new shooter, Marathon, finally unveiled its gameplay and set a release date for September 23. However, the price it will carry is still undecided.
As I eagerly attended the studio’s grand reveal, I was among the lucky 40 influencers and press members who got a premium, hands-on experience. The event was thrilling, but surprisingly, no mention was made about the game’s price during the hour-long presentation. This has sparked whispers that the game might just be free to play!
As a gamer, I’ve found myself venturing into a gaming realm different from Fortnite or Apex Legends, which are free to play. However, Marathon shares some similarities in that it shuns the traditional single-player campaign and is solely multiplayer. Additionally, it offers an optional in-app purchase, like a battle pass, to enhance my gaming experience.
Will Marathon be free to play?
Marathon, set to debut on September 23, won’t be a free game. Instead, you’ll need to make an initial purchase to play it. As of now, Bungie hasn’t revealed the price point for this exciting sci-fi extraction shooter when it hits the shelves.
On April 12th, the developer addressed a tweet on X/Twitter which linked to a revised GameSpot article. The original article had suggested that Marathon would be a premium game, but the developer provided further details to clear up the confusion.
As a gamer speaking directly, “I wanted to let you all know that when ‘Marathon’ drops, it won’t be your typical full-priced game. Bungie revealed on April 12 that we should expect some interesting details about the pricing strategy this summer.
The marathon game won’t cost the standard price; instead, it will be considered a high-end or premium option. More information about it will be shared this summer.
— Marathon (@MarathonTheGame) April 12, 2025
What exactly full price means in this context is up for debate due to numerous factors.
On both PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, most newly released AAA games typically sell for around $69.99. For instance, Assassin’s Creed Shadows debuted and maintains (until future price reductions) this price point on consoles as well as the Steam platform from Valve.
According to previous reports, it’s suggested that Bungie is targeting a $40 price tag, similar to Concord at launch. Given that Sony currently owns Bungie, this pricing strategy seems reasonable.
Regardless of the final price, which could be either $70 or $40, reactions to learning that Marathon won’t be a free-to-play game have predominantly been unfavorable.
One person replied, “If it costs $70, it will be Concord 2.0,” suggesting they were willing to pay that amount. Others maintained their budget, stating, “If the price exceeds $40, there’s an error.” Some also voiced concerns about the game’s pricing model, calling it “paying a premium for a game with a battle pass… diabolical.”
Bungie’s clarification brings a sense of relief to consumers, though the full impact of Marathon when it launches in the fall is yet to be determined.
To discover more information about the upcoming Marathon, explore what has been disclosed about the four playable characters unveiled thus far, along with instructions on registering for the closed alpha test scheduled for April 23.
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2025-04-13 17:48