Bungie's Marathon now gives players just a little more bonus LUX premium currency for the price of a $10 purchase, and while the amount granted is just a hair over what it was at launch, it can make a world of difference. Marathon has received some early criticism over its microtransactions, but the recent increase in the LUX payout will likely do much to allay concerns.
MarathonThe long-awaited release on March 5 was a huge relief for fans, especially after reports from June 2025 that development of the game had been delayed indefinitely. Marathons early user reviews are slowing down, and it's currently at 90 percent user satisfaction on Steam. Other fan review sites have it trending somewhat towards the negative, however, with players sharply divided over its quality, and almost none placing it as a middle-of-the-road game in the crowded extraction shooter genre. This division among fans covers everything from its character and map design to its high-stakes gameplay, but another problem lies with its microtransaction system, which many players have found infuriating.
It's official: Marathon will have seasonal wipes
Developer Bungie reveals key details about Marathon's upcoming content seasons, which include a progress wipe at the start of each new season.
Marathon runners should have an easier time giving runners skins
Soon, players who purchase LUX at the $10 level will get just a little more for their purchases, as reported in a new article posted on the game's official Twitter account. The amount of LUX in that microtransaction is raised from 1,100 to 1,120, which is only about a two percent increase, but one that will do a lot to stop one of Marathons biggest questions regarding purchases. That's because in-game skins usually cost 1,120 LUX, which turns out to be exactly the new price for a $10 purchase when the change takes effect. Prior to the change, budget-conscious players spending at the $10 level will be out just 20 LUX than a new skin, with the cheapest option remaining spending an additional $5 to buy another 500 LUX, leaving quite a bit of flooding.
The article posted by Bungie doesn't specify the exact date this change will go into effect, but it does mention that the game's first update is scheduled to arrive in about a week, which could be a hint that this is the general time frame during which the price will be adjusted. Bungie also doesn't specifically mention that the price of runners shines through Marathon is the reason for the change in bonus LUX, although the amount it adjusts by being equal to a typical skin's exact price has been hard to ignore among fans.
The move to give players just a small amount more for their money could give Bungie a boost Marathons early days, and it looks like the game may need it to stay competitive against ARC RaidersEmbak Studios' extraction shooter released in October, and the current king of the extraction shooter hill. Now, ARC Raiders has a 24-hour peak current player count of more than 204,000 players and an all-time high of just 482,000, while Marathonnumbers pale in comparison, around 78,000 and 88,000 respectively, according to the charts on SteamDB.
While the launch failed to place it at the top of the pile, Bungie has plans to adapt Marathon based on the feedback it has received from users, especially depending on information collected from its server Slam event pre-release. Some of the features teased for the first update include doubling the visible distance of objective nav points, increasing the number of Med lockers and ammo boxes, and giving players more starter ammo in MIDA, CyberAcme, and Arachne free sponsored kits. Additionally, Bungie announced last week that it would be making changes to fix Marathons UI issues, which have been a major point of contention among detractors, but finding the perfect UI formula can be a long and ongoing process.
- Released
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March 5, 2026
- ESRB
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Teen/animated blood, language, violence, in-game purchases, user interaction
- Multiplayer
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Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op
