marathon's 1.0.0.4 update was released yesterday. The reaction was mostly positive, but there was one particular note that had players raising eyebrows. The note simply states that Bungie has “increased the shooting range and increased the range where explosion sounds can be heard.” marathonIn fact, it's seriously damaging the gameplay loop in the eyes of many players.
While it seems like those concerned about this particular change have every right to be, it's worth reiterating that many of the tweaks in this update have gone down well with the community. Designed to be easier and more introductory maps, boundaries have benefited from the increase in medical cabinets. marathon’s thermal scope, which desperately needed a nerf, has thankfully been knocked down a peg. While it's important to highlight good points, constructive criticism is also important. marathonThe future of — and now it seems many players have the same criticism. marathonSound check.
PSA: Don't pay attention to Marathon's review bombing
Marathon is being bombarded with reviews on Metacritic, but there's clear evidence that most of the negative reviews can be ignored entirely.
Marathon's sound overhaul is making PvP underwhelming and hindering the playstyle.
All over social media, you can find threads like the above post from Reddit user Impossible-Finger942, with players lamenting the change to gunfire and explosions. Bungie's goal was to increase PvP interaction, following complaints from some parties. marathon Although matches were too slow and very little combat occurred, many players seemed to agree that this change was not necessary. Perhaps Bungie's data suggests there wasn't enough combat between teams, or maybe the studio gave in to some evil intentions. marathon Although it received some criticism from people who didn't even play the game, it's clear that many players preferred the sound before the release of update 1.0.0.4.
According to Frustrated marathon Players can now hear gunshots one POI away from their current location, making the sound fairer than before. This allowed me to gauge where the nearest group was, or to know if there were no enemy players in a nearby area, allowing me to avoid or seek out combat there. However, following an audio overhaul, players will essentially be able to hear gunshots across the map, allowing PvP-obsessed Arachne members to hunt down squads that dare fire their weapons or use explosives. Normally shooting would have been safe if the player had correctly determined that nothing would happen to the nearest POI, but now they were constantly in danger, and PvP interactions with aggressive opponents were almost guaranteed.
This change essentially causes marathon Players are forced to use swords only against UESC bots, which can be tedious and result in unnecessary downs when trying to melee attack stronger bots. As PvP combat increases, powerful shells like the Assassin become more necessary. This is because players will constantly be engaging in combat where they may feel overpowered. The extraction shooter is intended to offer a healthy mix of PvP and PvE, but according to sound tweaks, Impossible-Finger942's assessment that the game now feels like a “battle royale” disguised as “something more” seems to echo others' feelings.
Marathon hopes to address healthy criticism sooner rather than later.
The commenter felt this way: marathon's beta testing and Server Slam have already helped us find a healthy audio balance, and Bungie will consider reverting the changes. Some may like the idea of ”servers gathering wherever the first strike is fired” and the winner actually doing PvE and “popping a rook every once in a while”, but others feel this will scare new players and make contracts more frustrating than challenging. Some have also argued that constant combat leaves little time for looting, as the map is small enough for other teams to quickly reach within audible gunfire. Fortunately, Bungie's track record on requested changes has been solid so far.
marathon Issues like Rewards Pass quality, microtransactions, and initial game difficulty have all been addressed in the game's first week, with bigger changes like a UI overhaul still in the works. Clearly Bungie is listening to complaints, so as long as players continue to speak out, the audio changes will ideally be reverted. marathon Restores the gameplay loop that many people love. For now, all players can do is do their best and keep their criticism as constructive as it is loud.
- released
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March 5, 2026
- ESRB
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Teen/Animation Blood, Language, Violence, In-Game Purchases, User Interaction
- multiplayer
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Online multiplayer, online co-op
