Bungie's Marathon: Review Embargo and Initial Player Performance

Bungie has requested that websites postpone reviews for its new extraction shooter, Marathon, until later in March. This decision has resulted in a blank Metacritic page for the game upon its release.

This request aims to allow more content to become available before evaluations are published.

Review Delays Confirmed

Media outlets, including IGN, have confirmed that final reviews will not be available until the end of March. Some contributors specifically noted that they did not receive early server access for the game. Notebookcheck has reportedly acquired a copy of the message Bungie sent to reviewers detailing these delays.

Early Player Count and Market Performance

Upon its release on March 5th, Marathon's peak Steam player count was below 87,000. This figure falls short of some industry predictions for the title.

The game currently ranks outside the top 10 most-played titles on Valve's marketplace. For context, the indie game Slay the Spire 2 recently reached over 177,000 concurrent players shortly after its launch.