Marathon’s fix for the LUX Bundle controversy is coming soon, and a separate update this week enhances gameplay balance with more ammo and healing items for new players.
Marathon Update Addresses Currency Controversy and Game Balance
First Patch Addresses Gameplay Balance
Marathon’s first big patch is expected to drop sometime this week, according to Bungie’s latest Day 2 recap posted on their social media channels. The update promises several gameplay balance changes that players have been calling out since the Server Slam, which was the game’s free pre-launch event for the extraction shooter.
One of the fixes targets the game’s distance-based objective navigation, which has been oddly inconsistent when players try to track marked quest icons in the HUD. The objective markers, usually marked in yellow, do not usually appear in the HUD even when players are in close proximity to it. Bungie plans to adjust the visibility range from 10 meters to 20 meters, allowing players to spot their quest markers more easily without having to roam back and forth.
The patch will also increase the number of ammo and healing items scattered throughout the game’s first map, Perimeter. This should help newer players find more survivability options, as Med Cabinets and Munitions Crates will spawn more frequently on the beginner-friendly map.
Lastly, Bungie is adjusting its Sponsored Kits (Marathon’s free loadout system, similar to ARC Raiders’). These kits will now start with more ammunition, giving newer players a bit more breathing room during casual runs. Sponsored Kits from factions like MIDA, CyberAcme, and Arachne will all receive increased starting ammo.
Bungie Updates LUX Bundle After Player Backlash
Alongside the upcoming gameplay balance patch, Bungie is adjusting its premium currency economy, particularly around the unusual value of its content tied to the LUX Bundle pricing.
The problem is that players who purchased the $10 LUX Bundle received 1,100 LUX. While that may sound normal to non-Marathon players, Bungie’s cosmetic offerings, particularly its selection of Runner shells, cost 1,120 LUX, leaving players 20 LUX short even after purchasing the suggested bundle. This sparked a wave of criticism across the community, with players calling the system "predatory," as it forces players to purchase more LUX Bundles to get their desired cosmetics.
Bungie quickly responded to the backlash and promised that a major change to the game’s economy is coming in the near future. The studio plans to increase the $10 LUX Bundle by 20 LUX, raising it from 1,100 to 1,120. Bungie also confirmed it will retroactively grant 20 additional LUX to players who previously bought the $10 bundle, addressing player concerns.
While Bungie has not explicitly stated it, these changes will likely help players prepare for the game’s fourth map, the Cryo Archives aboard the UESC Marathon. With an expected release around "the second week of March," Bungie describes the area as "endgame territory," designed for players who are ready for a tougher challenge where puzzles and other raid-like mechanics are present, a staple of the studio’s other game, Destiny 2.
Marathon is now available on PlayStation 5, PC, and Series X/S. Check out more Marathon content at the link below.
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Bungie Details First Major Patch for Marathon
