Overview
- Forbes reporter Paul Tassi said internal sources put Marathon’s development budget above $200 million and likely over $250 million, excluding post‑launch spending on upkeep and new content.
- Eurogamer’s summary of the report said more than 70% of players are on Steam, and Steam’s peak concurrency has fallen about 68% since launch to a 24‑hour peak near 26,913.
- The $40 extraction shooter, where squads loot a map and try to escape with gear, launched on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S to positive reviews, with outside estimates of roughly 1.2 million sales that remain unconfirmed.
- Tassi reported that Bungie teams are building new Marathon content and do not expect an imminent shutdown, with morale described as better than during last summer’s controversies.
- The disclosure arrives as AAA budgets rise and as Sony, which bought Bungie for $3.6 billion, faces pressure to grow live‑service revenue that depends on player retention and in‑game purchases.