Marathon's Sales Remain Tepid: 1.2 Million Copies Sold, With 70% of Players on Steam

Marathon has been available for several weeks, yet official sales numbers remain undisclosed. So, how is the game performing? According to an industry analyst, 'Marathon hasn't exactly made the splash Sony and Bungie wanted.'

A report from Alinea Analytics indicates that Bungie's intensely challenging extraction shooter has sold approximately 1.2 million copies to date, generating gross revenues of around $55 million across PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S.

Although Marathon is technically a first-party Sony title since it's developed by Sony-owned Bungie, it carries the distinct feel of a Bungie-published game. Notably, Bungie—not Sony—is listed as the publisher on both Steam and the PlayStation Store. This might explain why an estimated 70% of sales occurred on PC, with only 19% on PS5 and 11% on Xbox.

The less than 20% share for PS5 is particularly noteworthy given Sony's reported strategy to scale back PC releases for major single-player exclusives. Sony's multiplayer games are expected to remain multiplatform, launching simultaneously on PC and consoles, and Marathon's strong Steam performance illustrates the rationale behind this approach.

The critical question is whether Marathon has met expectations for both Bungie and Sony. Bungie faces pressure to deliver results for Sony following recent public financial struggles. In November, Sony revealed that Bungie failed to meet sales and user engagement targets, resulting in a 31.5 billion yen (approximately $204.2 million) impairment charge due to Destiny 2's underperformance. This significantly impacted profits at Sony's Game & Network Services Segment, which includes Sony Interactive Entertainment.

In August, Bungie CEO Pete Parsons departed after 23 years with the company, nearly a decade as CEO. He was succeeded by Justin Truman, previously chief development officer and a longtime Bungie veteran. Parsons led Bungie through numerous turbulent periods, assuming the CEO role in 2016 from Harold Ryan and overseeing the studio's separation from Activision in 2019. He was at the helm during many events detailed in our 2021 investigation into Bungie's internal work culture. Months after our report, Sony acquired Bungie for $3.7 billion, ending the studio's era of independence.

'Marathon hasn't exactly made the splash Sony and Bungie wanted, even if the game underneath the surface is a masterwork of design,' stated Rhys Elliott, Head of Market Analysis at Alinea Analytics. 'There's a lot to love about Marathon—and the show ain't over yet.'

Indeed, Marathon demonstrates staying power. According to Alinea Analytics, it maintains steady engagement with 345,000 daily active users (DAUs) on average, climbing to 380,000 DAUs during weekends. On Steam, average playtime has increased to 27.8 hours, substantially exceeding console averages on PS5 (16.5 hours) and Xbox (17.3 hours).

What does this data reveal? We'll likely need to await Sony's next financial report to determine if the company is satisfied with Marathon's commercial performance. As for Bungie, they may have created a game too niche to achieve the breakout success seen by fellow extraction shooter Arc Raiders last year. Marathon is unforgiving; death results in losing all gear—not just loot collected during missions, but equipment brought into matches. Given how easily players can perish, the experience can feel brutally punishing. Are players abandoning Marathon due to this difficulty? Has the steep learning curve deterred potential fans?

Bungie has consistently emphasized that while Marathon features a challenging learning curve, recovering from significant losses becomes easier over time. However, the recently introduced raid-like experience, Cryo Archive, intensifies the hardcore gameplay with multiple prerequisites for access. Players must reach season level 25, unlock all factions by completing initial liaison contracts, and queue with a loadout valued at $5,000 credits or higher. Initially available only on weekends, Bungie has since adjusted the schedule to improve accessibility.

Former professional Counter-Strike player Shroud commented that while Cryo Archive delivers an exceptional experience, it's excessively difficult for casual players. During a recent stream, the influential gamer remarked, 'Cryo Archive is insane. It's the most elaborate extraction shooter map I've ever seen in a game ever. The loop they created is truly something special. The problem is, is it too elaborate? Is it too complex? Is it too much of a grind? Will your average 9-to-5 player be able to handle it? I don't know.'

Where does Bungie proceed from here? Marathon is far from a Concord-style live service catastrophe, but clearly Bungie must take action to boost sales. Simply reducing the game's difficulty might not suffice and could alienate current enthusiasts who appreciate its challenging nature. Could a single-player or PvE campaign reignite interest? Might a traditional PvP mode help? Given widespread struggles with Marathon's initially confusing systems, improving onboarding appears essential for Bungie to consider.