Former Marathon Art Director Addresses Concord Comparisons: “Haters Can’t Diminish What Matters Most to Me”
Comparisons to the live service misstep Concord could loom over Joseph Cross, the former art director of the Marathon franchise, who departed from Bungie just before the reveal of the upcoming extraction shooter. Amidst the less-than-flattering discussions, Cross emphasizes his commitment to the art and the unique opportunity to take a bold “risk” with this game.
In a recent interview, Cross opened up about his departure from Bungie and his experiences with Marathon. When asked about the challenges faced by Marathon and the parallels drawn to Concord—another high-stakes, premium-priced competitive shooter that is part of Sony’s ambitious live service strategy—Cross shared a blend of optimism and realism regarding the game’s journey.
“It’s tough for me to take any of that personally because I believe in the art and what we’ve created,” Cross stated. “I think we accomplished something really special, and I believe it will resonate. I can’t dictate how the game plays; I’m not a designer or the game director. I can only focus on what I can control, and I feel great about that.”
He added, “No matter how much negativity comes from online critics or personal disagreements with Bungie’s decisions, they can’t take away what I care about most.”
Marathon’s art faced scrutiny due to a now-resolved plagiarism controversy, where some corporate logos were found to have been directly copied from an external artist. This led to some harsh criticism, including brutal takes on the game’s rallying cry, “Plagiarism will make me god,” during a particularly rough patch leading up to its release.
However, it wasn’t all doom and gloom. Critiques of Concord often centered on its uninspired art, particularly its bland environments and character designs. While Marathon also faced some similar feedback upon its reveal—much of which has been addressed in a visual update that has only enhanced its appeal—it managed to resonate with many players, aided by striking elements like a cinematic short crafted by Alberto Mielgo. Its art may have been polarizing, but it certainly captured attention and made an impression, a stark contrast to the indifference that Concord often evoked.
Cross likens Bungie’s situation—finding itself overshadowed by an unrelated but somewhat similar project—to mere bad luck. “It feels like losing a lottery ticket or being in the wrong place at the wrong time,” he remarked. “And that never feels personal, you know?”
Reflecting on the stakes of Marathon, Cross acknowledged, “It’s a significant risk for Bungie,” a studio that successfully transformed the also-risky Destiny into a decade-long franchise, a journey he was part of as well.
“We often felt like we were getting away with something,” he recalled. “I think about the bigger picture—studios investing in unproven projects for years, pouring hundreds of millions into them. How much longer can this continue?”
Cross shared that he spent about six years on Marathon, starting with a team of 12 that eventually grew to hundreds. While exact figures are elusive, it’s safe to estimate that Bungie has invested a substantial amount into Marathon’s development.
“It’s easy to forget that behind all this is a product being funded, and every day that passes is another day deeper in the red,” Cross noted. “You’re not generating revenue. The studio isn’t making any money. That’s a significant pressure, especially when you’re trying to foster creativity while feeling the weight of risk.”
Bungie has confirmed that Marathon will launch in March, just hours after the Xbox store inadvertently leaked the studio’s big reveal.
