Bungie has announced they’re slowing down updates for Marathon.
They shared this explanation on their blog:
…We’re also moving away from a strict seasonal schedule. Instead of tying major updates to fixed seasonal deadlines, we’re giving the team more flexibility to build, test, and improve features before they are released.
Since launch, you’ve told us Marathon needs more depth, more variety, stronger progression, and better reasons to keep playing over the long term. We agree. Addressing that feedback requires us to change both what we’re building and how we deliver it.
So, Marathon’s upcoming major update on September 22 will now be arriving on December 8. Subsequently, they’re pushing a smaller update on October 6, for more pressing changes to the in-game economy that will also reset progression.
Bungie’s statement suggests that Sony will constrain their budget for the foreseeable future. Sony may even be content to let Marathon dwindle, instead of taking even a nominal risk with hopes they could rally back.
