We’re approaching an era where, instead of traditional gifts like diamonds or luxury handbags, people may present each other with the latest multiplayer video games priced around $70 or $80 as tokens of affection. Bungie, set to unveil the much-anticipated extraction shooter titled Marathon, isn’t making it any easier to gauge its price by keeping key information under wraps.
“Marathon will be a premium title,” Bungie states in a tweet. “Marathon will not be a ‘full-priced’ title.”
This statement leaves much to speculate. While Bungie’s reference to “premium” aligns with what we’ve observed during our hands-on preview — the game’s exceptional PvP design and polished gameplay — I can’t shake the concern that it might mean Marathon will carry an exorbitant price tag.
In the realm of extraction shooters, there are varying price points to consider. For instance, while titles like Helldivers 2 retail for $40 and Hunt: Showdown 1896 is available for $30, numerous other popular options, such as Delta Force, follow the free-to-play model, which has raised eyebrows among potential Marathon players.
“Not being free-to-play will hurt it big time,” commented a notable response to Bungie’s announcement on Twitter.
Another user added, “If it wasn’t bad news you’d announce it now,” citing concerns over the lack of immediate information. Adventure seekers will have to wait until September 23, when Marathon is set to launch on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, to learn the full details about its pricing.
Marathon feels like a good extraction shooter, but it’s not free-to-play, and I hope Sony and Bungie don’t price it into an early grave.