Players Enraged Over Marathon's State: "We Lose Everything Due to Cheaters

The Marathon community is expressing growing frustration with a surge in cheating, particularly since the introduction of the competitive Ranked mode. Players report frequent losses of valuable equipment due to opponents using aimbots and wallhacks (ESP), with many sharing their experiences on the game's official Reddit. One player described being instantly headshot by snipers the moment they turned a corner, initiating a discussion on the issue. A major problem cited by players is the difficulty of gathering solid evidence against cheaters. Unlike some other shooters, Marathon currently lacks killcams or detailed information about opponents' weapons. However, some users report finding multiple VAC bans—records of cheating offenses in other games—on suspicious players' Steam profiles. While the problem is most prevalent in Ranked mode, complaints have also surfaced regarding normal maps like Cryo, Outpost, and Perimeter.

In an extraction shooter where death results in the loss of all weapons, loot, and rare keys, being victimized by hackers is especially devastating. Some players are requesting that Bungie implement a compensation system to return stolen equipment if cheating is confirmed, a feature already present in other games of the genre. For now, playing exclusively through console matchmaking seems to be the only reliable way to avoid PC-based cheating. Alongside addressing cheating concerns, Bungie is also responding to feedback regarding the new Cryo Archive mode. This mode features gameplay similar to Destiny raids with puzzles, in-game events, and evolving objectives. The Marathon development team will address unintended speed boosts caused by slide-canceling in a future update. Changes to movement mechanics, like slide-cancel boosting and grapple canceling, have divided players; some argue that these tweaks will promote fairness, while others worry that they will lower the skill cap, making battles more predictable.

Bungie's Update on Cheating and Cryo Archive Mode Adjustments in Marathon's Extraction Shooter

The update also addressed issues with Thief-specific mechanics, such as the removal of loot-stealing during extraction animations. Bungie also plans adjustments for high-speed grapple interactions. The decision to remove movement exploits like slide-cancel boosting has sparked debate, with some players believing it will increase fairness and others fearing a reduction in the skill gap. To access Cryo Archive, players must reach season level 25, unlock all factions, and queue up with a loadout worth at least 5,000 credits. Currently, the mode is only available on weekends. Following the first weekend, game director Joe Ziegler identified issues such as limited accessibility for players who cannot play on weekends or prefer not to play with a pre-made team. Another concern is the impact of Random Number Generation (RNG) on whether subroutines drop from vaults. The community is awaiting further updates from Bungie regarding both cheating and game balance improvements.

In Case You Missed It

In our gaming journey, we've been captivated by recent buzz around Marathon's latest update and the sudden closure of Dark Outlaw Games. Carlos Mendoza takes a critical look at Bungie's shooter in his review "Marathon Review - Excellent Gunplay Can't Rescue a Confusing Shooter," published March 23rd Marathon Review - Excellent Gunplay Can't Rescue a Confusing Shooter. Despite its promising mechanics, Mendoza highlights Marathon's confusing visuals and repetitive gameplay. Meanwhile, Jonathan Dubinski investigates Sony's shutdown of Dark Outlaw Games in his piece "PlayStation Shuts Down Studio Without Release," published March 24th PlayStation Shuts Down Studio Without Release. If you're eager to dive back into Marathon, Sophie Laurent's guide "Marathon Gets Update to Fix Bugs and Improve Matchmaking" Marathon Gets Update to Fix Bugs and Improve Matchmaking breaks down the new 1.0.5.1 update, released on March 24th, ensuring you're up-to-date with your favorite games' latest developments!