Title: “This Is Not Concord 2.0”: Former Developer Encourages Gamers to Give Bungie’s Marathon a Fair Opportunity
The multiplayer shooter landscape is one of the most cutthroat and demanding areas in the gaming world. With numerous titles competing for players’ focus, even well-funded endeavors from prominent publishers can find it difficult to thrive. One such casualty was Concord, a hero shooter created by Firewalk Studios and released by Sony. Despite substantial anticipation, Concord was withdrawn from sale just two weeks post-launch in 2023, resulting in a significant letdown for both its creators and its audience.
As Bungie gears up for the release of its latest game, Marathon, doubts are beginning to arise. Some gamers are making early parallels between Marathon and the unsuccessful Concord, prompting a former developer from Concord to defend Bungie’s new venture.
A Developer’s Message: “Give Marathon a Fair Shake”
Stephan Williams, a former senior VFX artist at Firewalk Studios who contributed to Concord, recently took to Reddit to discuss the increasing skepticism surrounding Marathon. Posting as u/-MrSpug-, Williams shared a sincere note with the gaming community, encouraging them to approach Marathon with an open perspective.
“After viewing the comments on Reddit, YouTube, and Twitch about Marathon being Concord 2.0,” Williams stated, “I felt compelled to share a bit of insight from the perspective of a forty-year-old man who has invested much of his life into game development.”
He recognized the shortcomings of Concord, deeming it “heartbreaking,” and expressed his understanding for the Marathon development team, who now face similar criticism. Williams highlighted that no one experiences the pain of a failed game more than those developers who invested their time and passion into its creation.
“We didn’t succeed [with Concord],” he confessed. “Please don’t penalize others for our errors. We’re all individuals striving to create something memorable, and Marathon is no different. Show kindness and remain cool, because video games should be enjoyable.”
Community Reaction: A Change in Attitude
Williams’ message resonated with numerous Reddit users, who responded with empathy and encouragement. His frank acknowledgment and respectful demeanor helped humanize the development process, reminding players that there are real people behind every game—whether successful or not—working hard to create enjoyable experiences.
The Reddit discussion quickly became populated with comments praising Williams for his openness and motivating others to give Marathon a fair opportunity. The call for understanding appears to have mitigated some of the harsher critiques circulating online.
Why the Concord Comparisons?
The skepticism pertaining to Marathon largely arises from its early trailers and gameplay demonstrations, which some viewers believed echoed Concord’s style and atmosphere. Comments on YouTube clips, such as “I never anticipated Concord to get a sequel so quickly, but here it is,” and “Welcome back, Concord!” illustrate a lingering distrust among gamers disappointed by past letdowns.
However, it’s crucial to recognize that Marathon is being crafted by Bungie, the studio responsible for legendary franchises like Halo and Destiny. Bungie has a solid history of producing engaging and enduring multiplayer experiences, and Marathon signifies the studio’s first new intellectual property in eight years.
What Is Marathon?
Marathon is characterized as an extraction shooter—a subgenre where players immerse themselves in a game world, fulfill objectives, and strive to escape with their loot. Unlike some of its more punishing counterparts, Marathon intends to be more welcoming, featuring mechanics that lessen the frustration of dying and promote experimentation.
Set within a sci-fi world, the game promises a combination of competitive action and narrative richness, a hallmark of Bungie’s design approach. While complete details are still unfolding, the studio has stressed its dedication to innovation and community involvement.
Sony’s Live-Service Venture
Marathon holds significance for Sony, which acquired Bungie in 2022 as part of its initiative to delve into live-service games. While Sony experienced success with Helldivers 2, other efforts—like Concord—have stumbled. Marathon stands as a crucial trial of Sony’s capacity to nurture and sustain long-lived multiplayer titles.
Conclusion: A Call for Patience and Perspective
In an industry where first impressions can determine a game’s success or failure, Marathon faces a steep challenge. But as Stephan Williams’ Reddit message highlights, it’s important to recognize the human effort behind each title. While skepticism is understandable, particularly in a saturated and competitive environment, dismissing a game before its release undermines the developers aiming to innovate and entertain.
Marathon may or may not evolve into the next significant player in multiplayer shooters—but it merits the opportunity to be evaluated on its own qualifications. As Williams expressed: “Show kindness and remain calm, because video games are meant to be enjoyable.”
Whether Marathon can establish its own identity within the genre is yet to be determined, but for now, the message is clear: this is not Concord 2.0. Let’s give it a chance.