u/prosetheus

I keep seeing a lot of talk about low player count and what not, but just wanted to add that I usually find myself playing with those on consoles. Usually it's just me and perhaps one or two other PC players and the majority are console players.

Just wanted to bring this to attention because for whatever reason, looking at Steam playercounts has become a thing on its own. I can't remember a match where PC players outnumbered console players, and unless I run into stacked teams, the majority are console players.

I tried the game out during the server slam as well as the free week. Marathon is a niche game, and it's good to see talented, experienced devs experiment and try to innovate.

I look at Bungie making an extraction shooter like Scorcese making Shutter Island; celebrated filmmaker renowned for success in a certain kind of genre trying out something new to him. Did Shutter Island become an instant classic or reinvent the genre? No. But it was good to experience that director trying his hand at something new, with the level of quality, expertise and panache he brings to it.

The Finals had somewhat similar issues, with high-skill ceiling gameplay focused on trios making it really challenging for casuals and solos. They remedied this by adding casual modes and made team deathmatch a permanently available mode. Saved the game in my opinion.

I hope the devs also consider a similar approach. I don't think a dedicated PvE mode is going to do much because that will splinter the playerbase, as has been noticed in other games such as Tarkov.

Arc Raiders already exists and I think that it has been a more compelling experience for those wanting to experience the thrill of extraction shooters with most of the stress swapped out for a more cooperative spin. It's also made by the same guys that made The Finals and you can tell that they applied those lessons learnt from there.

A lot of the people wanting a less stressful experience will stay in PvE causing the PvP to become even more sweaty and unwelcoming for new and existing players as that leaves only the most dedicated of players. Keeping up then becomes like a second job, and that will lead to more just quitting due to being burnt out over time. The devs will then have to tweak the game around the high-skill level meta, causing even more restriction in play styles. Something that has happened to franchises like Tekken.

I read a game developer interview somewhere where they stated that gamers these days relentlessly optimize the fun out of games these days and high-stakes extraction shooters are definitely where one would want to min max the experience.

So what could Bungie do?

I think that that faster, casual combat modes such as 3-team or 4-team deathmatch (similar to The Finals) and some other casual/fun modes can act as excellent 5 to 10 minute warmups for really getting into the main modes, or just being what most people hop in in out of casually and only occasionally dabble in the extraction bits when they're confident and have willing buddies such as on the weekends.

The game's aesthetics also leave considerable opportunity for the devs to monetize cosmetics so I think this is something to consider.

Bungie could also look at developing story-based singleplayer/coop content in episodic form or a campaign that is paid while keeping the game in the current state as a freemium title, a la Halo Infinite.

The game has bones, and I hope to see it survive in its own niche.