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Bungie Shifts Focus to 'Marathon' as 'Destiny 2' Support Ends; Reviews Delayed and Player Numbers Compared

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The End of an Era: Bungie Shifts Focus from Destiny 2 to Marathon

Bungie has announced the end of support for Destiny 2, with a final content update scheduled for June 9, 2026. The studio is now directing its resources toward the new extraction shooter Marathon, which was released on March 5, 2026. In response to the transition, Bungie requested that media outlets delay reviews for Marathon, and the game’s initial player count on Steam fell short of some projections. The decision has prompted mixed reactions from the player community, including review bombing and counter-campaigns.

End of Destiny 2 Support and Staff Awareness

According to reports from Forbes and Bloomberg (citing unnamed sources), the "vast majority" of Bungie staff were not informed of the decision to end Destiny 2 support until the public announcement.

Forbes reported that a limited number of teams—those already working on final content or transitioning to Marathon—were briefed in advance. The decision to end support was reportedly made "earlier this year," and staff who were aware of it reportedly urged leadership to inform more employees. A post-announcement town hall, per Forbes, did not provide satisfactory answers regarding layoffs.

Bloomberg reported that Bungie is planning a significant number of layoffs and has no immediate plans for Destiny 3.

Marathon Review Delay and Player Count

Upon its release on March 5, 2026, Marathon's peak concurrent player count on Steam was below 87,000, ranking outside the top 10 most-played titles on the platform. In comparison:

  • Slay the Spire 2 reached over 177,000 concurrent players.
  • Destiny 2's final update peaked at 167,000 concurrent players on Steam, with recent daily peaks above 100,000.
  • Marathon's all-time peak on Steam is 77,358, with a 24-hour peak of under 16,000 players.

Both games have additional players on PlayStation and Xbox, which do not publicly disclose concurrent player numbers.

Bungie requested that websites postpone reviews for Marathon until later in March, resulting in a blank Metacritic page for the game. Media outlets, including IGN, confirmed that final reviews will not be available until the end of March. Some contributors noted they did not receive early server access. The game received a strong critical reception from some outlets, including a 9/10 score from IGN.

Community Reactions

Disappointed Destiny 2 players left negative reviews on the Marathon Steam page, attributing the end of Destiny 2 support to the new game. In response, Marathon players organized a counter-campaign of positive reviews.

On May 22, 2026, out of 531 reviews:

  • 374 (70%) were positive
  • 157 (30%) were negative

This compares to May 20, where 49 were positive and 6 were negative. A Reddit post on the Marathon subreddit called for positive reviews, predicting retaliation from Destiny 2 players.

Bungie’s Financial and Corporate Background

Liana Ruppert, a former Bungie community manager, stated that comparing player counts between Marathon and Destiny 2 is "ignorant" because Marathon targets a different market (similar to Escape from Tarkov). She also claimed that Bungie was "below the red line" before Sony's acquisition in 2022 and that the $3.7 billion buyout was necessary to prevent studio closure.

Key financial details:

  • Sony acquired Bungie for $3.6 billion in July 2022.
  • In its last financial year, Sony reported a $765 million impairment loss due to Bungie's underperformance.
  • A separate report noted a $565 million impairment loss related to Bungie in May 2026.
  • Bungie has faced layoffs in 2023 and 2024.

Statements and Official Plans

No official statements from Bungie regarding internal staff awareness of the Destiny 2 support end or layoffs have been released.

Bungie has stated ongoing plans for Marathon, including more PvE content and long-term story development. The studio confirmed plans for a PvE mode and other updates for Marathon. Bungie is now focused on supporting Marathon, with most staff dedicated to that project.

Other Developments

  • A petition for Sony to greenlight Destiny 3 has gathered over 200,000 signatures as of publication. Development has not been announced.
  • Alinea Analytics estimated Marathon had sold 1.2 million copies by March 24, 2026.
  • Some fans expressed hope that Marathon’s success could lead to a Destiny 3.