Embark Studios CEO Patrick Soderlund has praised Bungie for its handling of the recent launch of Marathon, despite the two games being direct competitors in the extraction shooter genre. Soderlund, speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, noted that Bungie had successfully addressed criticism from last year's technical test in a short timeframe.
“I know their technical test last year was heavily criticised. Whether that was accurate or fair, I can't tell you,” Soderlund said. “But what I can tell you is that, even though the feedback may be a little mixed, it looks like the team has done a really good job of turning what was a big problem around in a very short period of time.” He described the ability to make such quick improvements as “unusual”.
While Marathon currently averages around 63,000 concurrent players on Steam, compared to ARC Raiders' 200,000, Soderlund expressed hope for Bungie's title. “Credit to that team and to the work that they have done with the game. I hope that they do well,” he added.
The two games cater to different player preferences: ARC Raiders focuses on PvE experiences, while Marathon offers a more oppressive PvP environment. Soderlund's comments highlight a supportive dynamic between competing developers, especially amid a turbulent period for the gaming industry. Marathon is set to continue with its Cryo Archive raid and two further seasons later this year.
