Bungie is offering a limited-time free trial for Marathon, coinciding with the game’s Season 2 launch. Players can earn progress during this trial, which will carry over to the full $39.99 purchase. This decision follows the extraction shooter’s rocky launch on March 5, 2026, as community feedback has turned negative, with current Steam concurrent players dropping to just 3,526.
The trial, referred to as an “Open Play” period by games.gg, allows potential buyers to experience Marathon without risk. Bungie has employed similar strategies in the past; for instance, Destiny 2 went free-to-play in 2019 after initial sales disappointed. The effort to carry over progress during the trial aims to turn those players into paying customers instead of just creating a temporary surge in activity.
The timing is strategic. Earlier this month, IGN reported that an actor linked to Marathon defended the game publicly amid growing criticism. This came after news that Bungie has no approved projects beyond Marathon and that Destiny 3 isn’t in development. This context makes Marathon’s commercial success crucial for the studio. Since Sony bought Bungie in 2022 for $3.6 billion, every retention metric from this free trial carries high stakes.
On the surface, the game’s Steam review score of 86% positive from 40,420 reviews looks good. However, that score was recorded before the current wave of negative feedback. The recurring comment “Destiny died for this” in recent reviews shows a fanbase that feels Bungie has abandoned a live-service ecosystem built over the last decade to pursue a new genre. The extraction shooter market is already crowded, with established titles like Escape from Tarkov and Hunt: Showdown having dedicated audiences that Marathon hopes to attract.
A free trial won’t solve deeper questions about Marathon’s long-term success, but it does tackle one specific hurdle: price resistance. At $39.99, Marathon finds itself in an awkward middle ground—not cheap enough for impulse buys, yet not expensive enough to meet premium-game expectations. Offering players a hands-on trial eliminates the “I’m not paying to find out” objection that likely held back conversions after launch.
| Launch Date | March 5, 2026 |
| Current Steam Price | $39.99 |
| Steam Review Score | 86% positive (40,420 reviews) |
| Current Concurrent Players (Steam) | 3,526 |
| Bungie Acquisition Price (Sony, 2022) | $3.6 billion |
Community response to the free trial announcement has leaned more toward skepticism than celebration. One Steam reviewer captured the mood bluntly: “Destiny died for this.” This sentiment appears frequently in recent reviews and highlights a core issue that the trial can’t resolve—players aren’t avoiding Marathon because they haven’t tried it; they’re steering clear because they already have strong opinions about what the game represents.
What To Watch
- Concurrent player numbers during and after the trial window. A spike that disappears right after the trial ends would suggest that price isn’t the main retention issue—content and perception are.
- Conversion rate from trial to paid. Bungie hasn’t shared specific targets, but any future player count data will provide insights into how effectively the trial converted players. Look for Bungie to mention “trial participants” instead of “paid players” in any success metrics.
- Season 2 content volume. The free trial coincides with Season 2’s launch, so the quality and quantity of new content will play a significant role. If Season 2 fails to address key gameplay criticisms, the trial could end up being just a short-term PR move rather than a real shift in direction.
Marcus Webb
Marcus Webb covers esports, competitive gaming, and community stories for Explosion.com. A former semi-professional Counter-Strike player, Marcus transitioned to journalism 5 years ago and has since covered major tournaments including The International, League of Legends Worlds, and the Valorant Champions Tour. He brings a player's perspective to competitive gaming coverage and is known for his data-driven analysis of player performance and meta shifts.
