Various reports are claiming that Sony has cancelled its marketing plans surrounding the upcoming Marathon video game.
One report says that Sony planned on hosting a big push for Marathon in June, where the PlayStation division was expected to set up a specific State of Play event solely focused on Marathon. So far, it seems these plans have been scrapped.
The marketing plan, which was scheduled to kick off in Q3 and focus on Marathon’s possible launch, has also been cancelled. Marathon is expected to release in September, so the marketing would help drive awareness for the game and get players to test out the beta.
Speaking of which, Bungie has also reportedly cancelled the closed alpha test for Marathon. The test was expected to take place in the coming weeks and be strictly under NDA; however, following the game’s recent reception, the reports suggest it has been cancelled.
The news comes during a rough period for not only Bungie but also PlayStation Studios. Bungie was recently called out for stealing artwork without credit, and various staff members have spoken out about the studio’s “greedy” workplace environment.
As for PlayStation, the division has been cancelling games like there’s no tomorrow. The company had the historical failure last year with Concord, cancelled The Last of Us Factions, and over a dozen other live-service projects across its various studios.
Marathon, being another live-service game, could prove to be yet another difficult sell for PlayStation. So far, the only “positive” reception has been from paid streamers and content creators, but gamers have been able to see right through the sponsored content.
In the past week, reports claim that Bungie morale has hit an “all-time” low following poor reception from its recent Destiny 2 showcase and the mixed feedback from Marathon testers.
Colin Moriarty, who shared this report, says that pre-orders for Marathon were expected to go live in June with this heavy marketing push. The game will likely face a delay now, which might shift its release date further past the original 23 September date.
Source: The Game Post
