Marathon Gamers Create Innovative Drone Combat Strategies

Hey there! With Ethan off to GDC, I’m taking the reins of the blog today. Since I can’t stop thinking about Marathon, let’s dive into some exciting drone tech making waves in Bungie’s latest FPS. We’ve also got updates on a veteran Nintendo developer and some positive news about a union forming at a well-known indie studio. Let’s jump right in!

First up, some jaw-dropping news for Marathon players. It turns out that players have figured out how to attach explosive claymores to drones, transforming them into remote-controlled missiles.

One of the playable characters, Thief, can deploy a drone that typically zaps enemies and snags loot, making it a handy tool for gathering gear. However, as seen on social media, players are now attaching motion-detecting explosives to Thief’s drone and sending it across the map to hunt down unsuspecting foes. The results can be catastrophic, with one clip showcasing an entire squad wiped out by a single armed drone.

Absolutely INSANE quad feed with Claymore Mines on Thief’s Pickpocket Drone ????️

I’ll admit, it’s a bit unsettling to see drones used for destruction while discussing how players are crafting their own digital versions of this modern warfare tactic. Still, it seems like a clever way to eliminate opponents or deal with a troublesome sniper. I’ll definitely give it a shot next time I log into Marathon, but I’ll be keeping a close eye on the skies to avoid becoming drone bait.

I really enjoyed Kena: Bridge of Spirits when it launched in 2021, and I’m looking forward to the sequel, which promises to be bigger and darker. Unfortunately, for those without a PS5 or a high-end gaming PC, Kena 2 will not be available on Xbox or Switch 2 at launch. However, Switch 2 owners can look forward to playing the original when it drops this spring.

As for a potential Switch 2 port of the sequel, it took nearly three years for the original to reach Xbox and five years for the Switch port, so it might be a long wait.

In other news, it seems we can add another Star Wars film to the list of projects that may never see the light of day. Director James Mangold and Lucasfilm had plans for a movie set thousands of years before the original trilogy, focusing on the origins of the Jedi. Earlier this year, the former head of Lucasfilm mentioned that Mangold’s project was on hold, and now reports suggest it might be dead. “I can’t say that conclusively, but it doesn’t sound good,” said a source during a podcast.

On March 9, the Communications Workers of America announced that developers at indie studio Heart Machine have successfully formed a union that will represent all employees. Heart Machine voluntarily recognized the union, and now the team is collaborating on a contract. Heart Machine employees join the ranks of developers at Blizzard and id Software, who formed unions last year. The movement to unionize more studios in the U.S. continues to gain momentum.

“I decided to get involved in organizing my studio because I’ve seen so many peers in the industry stand up to protect the craft we all care so deeply about,” said Steph Aligbe, a gameplay tools engineer at Heart Machine. “Watching that momentum grow made me realize that if we love this work, we have to protect it, especially now.”

In a significant career move, Goro Abe, a developer at Nintendo since 1999, announced his departure from the company on Twitter. Abe started as a programmer on Wario Land 4 and eventually took the helm of the WarioWare series, directing the last four entries, including 2023’s WarioWare: Move It for the Nintendo Switch.

Abe has plans for his next chapter, as he will become a professor at Osaka Electro-Communication University starting in April.

“I plan to engage in research related to games and game production, so I hope to connect with an even broader range of people in various ways than before,” Abe shared in his retirement announcement.