The marathon continues | The Verge

With live service games like Highguard, Concord and 2XKO struggling, Bungie and Sony are entering the space with Marathon.

A marathon is weird as hell, and I mean that in the best way.Destiny, the latest game from Bungie Studios, combines the smooth gameplay the developer is known for with a dark and downright weird sci-fi universe.It's part of the growing "extraction shooter" subgenre, where teams of players are dropped into a hostile environment and tasked with escaping the inferno.After only a few hours of gameplay, I'm eager to play more because the basic action is so satisfying and I don't understand this mystical universe.But as much as I'm enjoying the marathon right now, I'm also worried about its future, because I have no idea how long it will last.

A marathon is a sprint

The streaming space is a mess, and it might not be long before Bungie's new shooter becomes a hit.

The live service space is a mess, and Bungie's new shooter doesn't have much time to become a hit.

The action shooter room immediately became a mess.As publishers and developers chase Fortnite, the field is incredibly unstable.You don't have to look far to see that;on the same day Marathon opened, Highguard released the final update before shutting down for good in the week.Marathons are weird and wonderful, but they are no guarantee of success in this space.

The most surprising thing about the high speed of the recent live-action game is its supposed failure.Wildlight Entertainment, the studio behind Highguard, said the game reached two million people, but it will close less than two months after it first launched.The title from the established company is treated in the same way;enthusiastic ears are visible, but in general the energy has not reached the level necessary to support a team of this length."

It's understandable why companies keep trying.Many live service games have failed, but the successes have been overwhelming.Fortnite has become a cultural phenomenon associated with everything from Disney to Chappell Roan, while League has continued Riot for more than a decade.These toys are both useful and durable.As the success of Arc Raiders and Helldivers 2 has shown, it's not impossible, but it's a difficult space to enter right now.but the prize attracted the attention of the game authorities.

What's less clear is why newer games like Highguard and 2XKO were given such short paths to success.In this ultra-competitive space, a few weeks is not enough time to establish a game.It took a long time for Fortnite and League to become the powerhouses they are - Fortnite started as a survival game before the lead of PUBG Battle Royale - and they were born in a time of less competition and less hope.And League may be awesome, but it's also been a battle, Riot has had mixed results.in expanding the franchise.In today's climate, Haggard never stood a chance.

The marathon doesn't seem to be ending anytime soon.Bungie has already explained some details after the release, and the game has something else going for it: the studio has proven successful with titles in Destiny and its sequel, and is supported by Sony, which will buy Bungie in 2022.

Again, there are no guarantees, and in fact, Sony is one of the worst offenders in this area.It had a bold plan to launch 10 live-action games by this year, which the company scaled back after seeing how difficult it would be to make a consistent hit.Bad results: Concord and its developer shut down after eight years of development just weeks after launch, and last month Sony shut down Bluepoint Games after an unexpected cancellation.Bungie hasn't been affected by Sony's overinvestment, which comes with backorders and delays.

It is still too early to say what the fate of the marathon will be.But it comes at a time when everything about the game, not just the live service space, is in flux.Costs are rising, layoffs continue, leadership changes abound, console concepts are no longer clear, and old ideas are back in fashion.Nobody knows what's going to happen next, which is why even a heavily backed game from a reputable studio like Bungie can seem like a huge risk.The marathon is just over, but the watch is on.My advice?Enjoy it while it lasts.