Marathon Players Racked Up 77 Days of Loot in Just One Week: “This Season Feels Over the Top”

We’re just over two weeks into Marathon Season 2, and things could definitely be better. Bungie’s sci-fi extraction shooter has introduced a host of new features for players to explore, but it’s also come with its share of problems. The most pressing issue is a bloated loot economy. The studio revealed that players have been collecting the same amount of loot in the first week of Season 2 as they did by week 11 of the first season. Additionally, a mysterious bug is causing an unexpected increase in high-rarity item spawns. One streamer summed it up, saying, “I think this season is cooked. Just leave everything bloated. Focus on making mid-season content enjoyable and aim for better balance next season with progression.”

A new update rolled out on June 16, implementing some balance adjustments to Marathon. This patch introduced weekly rewards but slightly decreased the rate of Prestige drops and overall loot quality, while also nerfing some of the gear that enemies were equipped with. The XP gained from certain gear found in the Cradle, the new point of interest in Night Marsh for Season 2, was also reduced. However, these changes are just the beginning. It’s evident that Bungie recognizes there are more significant issues affecting the game’s loot economy.

The studio shared its thoughts this week, aligning with the sentiments of many players this season. As the player base has dwindled, the dedicated fans who remain are investing considerable time into the daily grind. This has led to vaults overflowing with blue and purple gear by the end of week two. Streamers, in particular, are finding themselves so stocked with high-end loot that it undermines the core experience of the game.

Now that it’s apparent that progression has been too rapid this season, players are split on how to address it. Those who can’t dedicate as much time as their more hardcore counterparts feel they’ll be left behind and at a disadvantage for the summer. Some even suggest that Bungie should embrace the situation and wait until Season 3 for a fresh start. “Maybe they should just call in an emergency wipe and start over lol,” quipped one player on the subreddit.

This is just the latest hurdle for a game that has faced numerous challenges this season, which kicked off with severe server issues and confusion surrounding the discounted Deluxe Edition, resulting in some players receiving it for free. With the extended free week now behind us, concurrent player counts on Steam have returned to their pre-Season 2 lows. Hopefully, most of those players have just temporarily switched over to another title for its final send-off.