Destiny 2 Players Transform Marathon’s Steam Reviews into an Unusual Arena
Destiny 2 fans are in an uproar after the announcement that the sci-fi MMO will be sunset with a final update in June. While some players are paying homage to the developers, others are venting their frustrations and searching for someone to blame. A segment of the community has zeroed in on Bungie’s new PvP extraction shooter, Marathon, attempting to review-bomb it on Steam as a form of protest.
The prevailing theory among these fans is that Sony is pressuring Bungie to end Destiny 2 to give Marathon a better chance at success. They believe that resources that could have been used to revitalize Destiny 2 are being redirected to this new project. The argument suggests that if Marathon hadn’t faced a rocky development and launch, Bungie might have had the opportunity to pursue a new expansion for Destiny 2 or even a sequel.
This line of thinking is misguided, yet it hasn’t stopped some players from expressing their discontent in Marathon’s review section on Steam. One player, who downloaded the game solely to leave a negative review, stated, “Destiny Series is better.” Another echoed similar sentiments, claiming, “Destiny died for this game to fail. There is only one person to blame.”
In just three days, this campaign resulted in over 250 negative reviews, causing the game’s recent review rating to plummet from 86 percent positive to 77. However, Marathon players quickly countered this backlash, contributing a wave of positive reviews. Since the announcement of Destiny 2’s end, more than 500 positive reviews have been added, with some players attempting to bridge the divide between the two communities.
One review from a former Destiny 2 player noted, “I liked Destiny, overall. I’m not amazing at PvP games, just above average. I also enjoy Hunt: Showdown, a low-TTK extraction PvP game with clunky controls and a strong focus on audio as a resource in gunfights, essentially acting as a stealth survival horror. Marathon bridges the gap between the two really beautifully.”
Not everyone shares this perspective, and it’s evident that Marathon’s roguelite elements and challenging community dynamics have made it a tough sell, despite the enthusiasm of its player base. While both games now have similar daily peak concurrent players on Steam, Destiny 2 peaked at over 300,000, whereas Marathon has yet to surpass 100,000.
Nonetheless, Bungie reportedly has the go-ahead to keep investing in Marathon for the foreseeable future. The game is set to receive a PvE-only mode next season, along with various tweaks and content updates throughout its first year. Whether these efforts will be enough to establish it as a sustainable live-service title for Sony and Bungie remains uncertain.
What’s clear is that Destiny 2’s issues stem from its own decisions. There were already cracks in the foundation before the launch of The Final Shape expansion in 2024, and the game has faced a series of missteps since, lacking a clear vision for its future. While it would be great to see Destiny 2 continue, it’s unreasonable to place any blame for its struggles on its newer, smaller counterpart.
