Concord Developer Urges Marathon Support Despite Past Setbacks

Bungie’s recent livestream showing off early footage from its new first-person extraction shooter, Marathon, has stirred up a mix of responses online. Social media and Reddit were abuzz with skepticism, with some predicting it might share the same unfortunate fate as Concord. This hero shooter from Sony barely lasted a month before being pulled offline. In the midst of this chatter, a former Concord developer jumped into the Marathon subreddit, urging people to give the game a fair shot.

Reflecting on Concord’s missteps, the developer, known on Reddit as MrSpug, shared their disappointment. “Concord didn’t connect with players, and that message came through loud and clear,” they confessed. “Watching our project become a laughing stock was gut-wrenching.”

Having been part of Firewalk Studios right up until its closure a few months after Concord’s shutdown, the developer expressed empathy for Bungie’s team. They acknowledged the risky leap the Marathon creators are taking within such a fiercely competitive genre, and praised them for their courage. “I put my heart into Concord; we all did,” the developer wrote frankly. “We fell short, so let’s not let others bear the brunt of our past mistakes.”

Though Concord and Marathon are different beasts, with both titles under Sony’s umbrella, comparisons are inevitable. One key point of contention after the Marathon stream was Bungie’s decision not to opt for a free-to-play model. Much like its predecessor, Marathon will be available at a price lower than many new releases. Bungie hinted it’ll cost less than a typical full-priced game, likely around $40 when it hits the market in September. This decision sparked debate on whether Marathon might end up like Concord.

In a follow-up comment, the ex-Concord developer addressed the ongoing negativity. “I didn’t want to draw attention to myself as if I have an agenda here,” they remarked. “But writing off a game before it even launches seems far-fetched to me.”