Bungie’s Marathon: A Rollercoaster Journey Before Launch

The Rollercoaster Ride of Marathon’s Development

So, let’s talk about Bungie’s upcoming extraction shooter, Marathon. This game has had more ups and downs than a theme park ride! After a particularly bumpy pre-launch journey, henceforth referred to as the “Marathon Mishap,” the team finally dropped a release date—better late than never, am I right?

This rollercoaster started with delays that seemed more dramatic than a soap opera, following some not-so-great playtest feedback and a little hiccup involving, well, stolen art. Yes, you read that right—art thievery. Because nothing says “We’re ready for release” like a splash of scandal!

Art Director Joe Cross: The Unsung Hero

Now, let’s shine a spotlight on Joseph Cross, the former art director who left the studio recently. In an interview that felt like a heartfelt therapy session, he recounted the wild ride of their game’s reception, which swayed from positive to negative like a pendulum on a caffeine high. Cross has got the kind of optimism that would make sunshine jealous, saying, “What I could control, I feel really good about!” You go, Joe!

He expressed how the art truly mattered to him, almost like a proud parent gazing at their child’s finger-painting masterpiece. “The art is really the most important thing to me here… I think we did something really cool, and I think it will pan out,” he expressed, trying to convince himself while simultaneously reminding the internet trolls that nothing could dim his artistic glow.

Cross certainly faced the storm of online hate, but shrugged it off like water off a duck’s back. “Whether you don’t like the art, or disagree with some political misstep—no one can take away what I care about!” Can we get a round of applause for that attitude?

He even compared the game’s reception to dropping toast face down—because really, nobody enjoys that moment! But he also felt the need to support his team through the chaos, calling it “a whole other can of soup,” which is definitely a quirky way to put it. Must be a soup he likes!

Cross acknowledged the pressure of launching a game amid fears of crashing and burning like another recent Bungie project. He pointed out the bizarre reality of studios pouring millions into untested ideas and wondering how long they can keep that ship afloat. It’s like placing all your bets on a horse named “Hope” and praying it doesn’t trip over its own legs!

In the end, despite the ups and downs, Cross is holding out hope for Marathon. “All great art is doubted… until there’s not,” he said, channeling every artist’s struggle while hoping for that sweet, sweet validation after release!

So gear up, gamers! While Marathon may have had a rough start, there’s no telling if the artistic vision will come through with flying colors or crash harder than that toast. Either way, we’re here for the drama in the gaming world!