Bungie head of product Josh Deane has issued a clarification regarding the studio's upcoming extraction shooter, Marathon, stating that players should not purchase the game as a form of donation to support the studio's future. This statement comes after a community update that caused some confusion among Destiny players about the relationship between the two titles.
In a recent Q&A blog post, a section discussing Bungie's path forward mentioned the importance of Marathon's success. The text read, "For us, the majority of our Bungie team is legacy Destiny, and we will all tell you that nothing can help bridge us into future more than for Marathon to rapidly evolve and become sustainable." This phrasing led some in the Destiny community to believe that purchasing Marathon was being positioned as a way to secure the future of both games.
Deane addressed these concerns directly, taking responsibility for the wording and explaining that his intention was not to place the burden of Bungie's future on the Destiny player base. He clarified that the success of the Destiny franchise is not contingent on Marathon. In a post on social media, Deane elaborated, "I may have worded this clumsily but this is the true heart of what I was trying to say. Truly care about community healing and believe that it will help our studio bridge into the future in the most healthy way possible. Play and share what you are passionate about, whatever that is. The Destiny plan moves forward no matter what."
When directly asked if players should buy Marathon as a donation, Deane firmly responded, "Oh, don't buy Marathon as a donation or offer anything else." He emphasized that "It's our job to show up for you." He further encouraged players to "only buy or play a thing that inspires you from us / you think is cool!" adding that "We will find our way back home with Destiny."
Bungie principal comms manager Dylan Gafner also contributed to the clarification, stating, "Two cakes! One big community." This sentiment aims to alleviate concerns from both Destiny and Marathon players who may have feared for the future of their respective games.
Bungie has outlined plans for the Destiny franchise, including "celebration" content updates, a project tentatively called "Destiny 'Legacy'," and an unannounced "redacted" project. For Marathon, the studio is focused on revitalizing the extraction shooter with the upcoming Symbiosis update in December. Bungie has also reaffirmed that the extraction component remains a core part of Marathon's experience, even as the team experiments with PvE and Deathmatch modes.