Sales Snapshot

A few weeks after launch, Bungie’s Marathon has reportedly sold about 1.2 million copies, generating roughly $55 million across PC, PS5, and Xbox, according to analytics firm Alinea. For a Sony-backed shooter carrying Bungie’s legacy, that’s a muted debut.

“Marathon hasn't exactly made the splash Sony and Bungie wanted, even if the game underneath the surface is a masterwork of design,” said Rhys Elliott, Alinea Analytics’ Head of Market Analysis. “There’s a lot to love about Marathon — and the show ain’t over yet.” Neither Sony nor Bungie has released official sales figures.

Although Marathon is a first-party project by virtue of Bungie being owned by Sony, Bungie itself is listed as publisher on both Steam and the PlayStation Store. That positioning, and the game’s extraction-shooter DNA, may help explain where players are choosing to buy it.

Steam Leads, Consoles Lag

PC accounts for an estimated 70% of sales, with PS5 at 19% and Xbox at 11%, per Alinea’s report. A sub-20% share on PS5 stands out alongside reports that Sony is scaling back day-one PC launches for its major single-player exclusives, while keeping multiplayer titles multiplatform.

The split underlines where Marathon is finding traction. Extraction shooters tend to flourish on PC, where communities form quickly and streaming boosts visibility. For Sony’s live-service bets, Steam is carrying much of the weight right now.

Engagement Looks Sticky, But Hardcore Friction Remains

Sales aren’t the full story. Alinea says Marathon is holding steady with about 345,000 daily active users on weekdays and averaging 380,000 on weekends. Average playtime on Steam has climbed to 27.8 hours, outpacing console playtime on PS5 (16.5 hours) and Xbox (17.3 hours). There’s committed interest, especially on PC.

Commitment comes with caveats. Marathon’s loop is punishing by design: if you die, you lose everything you brought in as well as what you picked up. That risk-reward profile is intoxicating to some and alienating to others. A steep learning curve can slow word of mouth, and in a crowded genre, a high barrier to entry can cap momentum.

Cryo Archive Raises The Bar

Bungie recently pushed even harder on difficulty with the raid-like Cryo Archive, which initially launched only on weekends and requires players to meet strict thresholds to queue. To participate, players needed:

  • Season level 25
  • All factions unlocked (complete initial liaison contracts)
  • A loadout value of $5,000 credits or higher

Bungie has since adjusted the schedule to make it more accessible, but the message was clear: this is an ultra-hardcore experience.

Former pro Counter-Strike player Shroud praised the mode’s ambition while questioning its reach. “Cryo Archive is insane. It’s the most elaborate extraction shooter map I’ve ever seen in a game ever,” he said on stream. “The loop that they made is truly something special. The problem is, is it too elaborate? Is it too complex? Is it too much of a grind? Is your 9-5 grandma and grandpa going to be able to do it? I don’t know.”

Pressure On Bungie — And What Could Move The Needle

Expectations around Marathon sit within a tense backdrop. In November, Sony said Bungie missed sales and engagement targets, recording a 31.5 billion yen (about $204.2 million) impairment tied to Destiny 2’s underperformance, which hit Sony’s Game & Network Services profits. In August, longtime CEO Pete Parsons exited after 23 years and was succeeded by Justin Truman, a veteran who previously served as chief development officer.

Whether Marathon’s current trajectory satisfies Sony is an open question best answered by the next earnings call. It’s not a Concord-style live-service implosion, but the sales pace suggests Bungie needs to broaden the tent without dulling the blade.

What helps from here? Onboarding feels like the first lever; too many players bounce before the systems click. Optional PvE or a focused single-player slice could widen the funnel. A traditional PvP playlist might attract curious shooter fans who want to learn guns and movement without risking their inventory. The risk is obvious — soften too much and you lose the faithful — but the opportunity is, too. If Bungie can lower the ramp while preserving the high-stakes heart, 1.2 million might be the floor rather than the ceiling. As Elliott said: “the show ain’t over yet.”