The Marathon Server Slam is coming to an finish, and Bungie has outlined the varied scorching subjects gamers have surfaced forward of launch.
Chief amongst them is TTK (time to kill), which is extremely quick in Marathon. Throughout the Server Slam, gamers discovered that they may very well be killed extraordinarily shortly, with their shields and well being bar gone in the blink of an eye. Enemy gamers are after all extraordinarily harmful in the extraction shooter, but the AI enemies are simply as brutal. Flip round the mistaken nook and you will discover your self eradicated earlier than you’ll be able to react, the run over and all of your gear misplaced eternally.
“We have discovered lots from you, watched from the shadows as you’ve got hit snags or discovered moments of glory, and brought notes the complete time,” Bungie mentioned in its Server Slam weekend feedback recap. “Your enter throughout this time has given us numerous objects to kind by way of and we’ll be doing simply that in the coming days, so thanks.”
Inside PvP suggestions, TTK is “the scorching matter,” Bungie acknowledged. “Some of you need longer duels and extra Runner contact, others are vibing with the present tempo. We’re reviewing Runner density on non-beginner maps and protecting an in depth eye on how Perimeter and Dire Marsh really feel all in all.”
A fast look at the burgeoning Marathon neighborhood exhibits a mixture of gamers who need Bungie to change the recreation’s TTK and gamers who need the developer to go away it alone.
“You die earlier than you’ll be able to even react,” mentioned one Marathon participant. “I take pleasure in the recreation and the problem, but I really feel prefer it’s an inflated problem with how briskly the TTK is.”
“I’m positive with the TTK but it makes 70% of the skills we’ve got pointless,” mentioned one other. “We merely don’t get to use them. Destroyer protect you’d assume might prevent for those who get hit all of the sudden but it gained’t as by the time the animation completed pulling it out you’re useless two instances over. I might make the TTK slower by having the tier 3/4 shields take an further 10%/15% harm and make them costly.”
“Base TTK ought to be larger but might be higher with larger tier shields? Bizarre that we weren’t in a position to check this gameplay simply throughout this weekend,” mentioned one other fan.
“They actually wanted to hand out shields to gamers at an accelerated price, only for this Server Slam,” instructed one other participant. “The TTK ‘debate’ is only a results of individuals not being geared appropriately, dying in 0.5 seconds, and pondering that is how each Run in the recreation will finally be.
“If we had been given shields as a part of some entry quest, or as a part of a pre-release Sponsored Package, individuals would not be having this takeaway. When you’re geared appropriately TTK is hardly one thing you are fascinated about, but I perceive individuals not realizing what they do not know and this being their takeaway.”
“My largest worry right here is the TTK,” added one other. “I’d think about most gamers gained’t give it sufficient time to regulate from different shooters and complain and Bungie will change it. It’s nice how it’s and units Marathon aside. At the moment fights are quick and brutal. Apex finally obtained irritating in how individuals might delay a struggle simply as a result of the TTK was too excessive.”
“Sure I hope they do not react too strongly to this level,” one other mentioned. “TTK is in an excellent place proper now I really feel, it permits for clutch 1v2s and 1v3s in a manner that prime TTK would not for many gamers. Low TTK additionally makes matches extra tense, you could have to keep vigilant as a result of you will get knocked very simply. That mentioned I believe they might tweak it ever so barely and it might nonetheless be positive, I simply don’t desire fights to flip into attrition matches as a result of it is too simple to run and conceal and heal repeatedly from simply taking a bit harm.”
Please do no prolong the TTK, it really rewards good intention and permits us to clutch up wonderful 1VX! pic.twitter.com/l3WAJbaTLj
— Jon Snow (@JonSnowTM) March 2, 2026
One other level of suggestions Bungie acknowledged was on the med and ammo economic system. Players have discovered each units of things scarce, to the level the place it’s simple to run out of ammo, particularly, making Marathon an even more durable expertise than it already is. Once you think about the in-game price related to replenishing med and ammo objects for every run, you’ll be able to see why each are valuable commodities.
“We hear you that meds are soaking numerous your early loadout finances and that back-to-back fights can chew by way of your med and ammo reserves fairly shortly,” Bungie mentioned. “We have seen some people for and in opposition to the Depleted objects as nicely — together with how rewarding drops off of AI are. In the event you ran dry mid-fight or at a important spot in your Run, inform us all about it!”
Bungie as soon as once more acknowledged the suggestions on Marathon’s UI, which has turn into one thing of a sore level for a lot of gamers. “We do plan to proceed iterating post-launch and wish to just remember to’re in a position to simply navigate, learn what’s occurring mid-fight, handle your gear successfully, and see your pings with none noise round them,” Bungie confirmed.
And Bungie touched on Marathon’s motion and warmth technology: “A lot of chatter round slide really feel, momentum, and warmth alike. The widespread asks are smoother slide transition, letting downhill velocity carry, and reducing warmth on core motion for cleaner chases and disengages. Preserve your takes coming!”
Typically, it appears people who find themselves soldiering by way of Marathon’s punishing and initially complicated extraction gameplay are discovering it rewarding. But some imagine it might be too brutal for its personal good and find yourself placing extra informal gamers off, not simply due to how exhausting it’s, but due to the effort and time that can clearly be wanted to sustain with the hardcore participant base.
The Marathon Server Slam hit a peak Steam concurrent participant rely of 143,621 when it launched final week, but considerably surprisingly, that quantity declined as we labored by way of the weekend. Marathon hit a peak of 64,128 concurrents on Sunday, just some days earlier than Marathon goes on sale priced $39.99 on March 5. In fact, Steam concurrents don’t paint the total image, and neither Sony nor Microsoft makes participant numbers public. It will likely be fascinating to see how Marathon does at launch.
“Many Runners have maxed out their Faction Rep, adopted a Rook or two, and braved the haunted hallways of Hauler,” Bungie mentioned. “We have additionally heard from individuals saying the deeper they get into development, the extra enjoyable they’re having. Tau Ceti might be unforgiving, and we won’t wait to see you subsequent week.”
Take a look at IGN’s Marathon evaluate to this point to discover out what we expect.
Wesley is Director, Information at IGN. Discover him on Twitter at @wyp100. You’ll be able to attain Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.