Bungie’s much-anticipated extraction shooter, Marathon, will not feature proximity chat, primarily due to concerns about potential toxicity among players. Game director Joe Ziegler has made it clear that ensuring a safe environment for players is Bungie’s top priority.
While this decision has been made for the initial launch, Ziegler has not completely ruled out the possibility of implementing proximity chat in the future, provided a viable solution for addressing toxicity is identified. The development journey of Marathon has been lengthy and fraught with challenges, but the game is finally approaching its release on September 23.
On April 11, Bungie reached a major milestone by revealing extensive details about Marathon, including new trailers and gameplay demonstrations. Along with announcing six starting classes and three maps, the team is preparing for a series of exciting announcements leading up to the game’s launch.
While Bungie is working on solutions to manage player toxicity, they have opted to refrain from including the proximity chat feature for now. During a recent interview with PC Gamer, Ziegler acknowledged the complexities surrounding the moderation of player interactions, stating that “no one really has a good solution to that just yet.”
Proximity chat, commonly found in games like Fortnite, allows players to communicate when in close proximity but may lead to unwanted negative interactions. Although Bungie remains open to potentially adding proximity chat after addressing the toxicity issue, they are resolute that they will not implement it without a proper solution.
This decision has elicited mixed reactions from the community, especially considering other extraction shooters have successfully incorporated such features with moderation options. Many fans remain hopeful that Bungie will find a way to include proximity chat that enhances the overall experience while maintaining a safe environment for players.
In Marathon, players will scavenge the lost colony of Tau Ceti IV in teams of three, battling rival factions and hostile security forces for weapons and upgrades. Participants can customize their runners from a variety of cybernetic mercenaries, with each match offering opportunities for experimentation and growth.
The game promises to provide a fun and competitive environment for players of all skill levels, leveraging Bungie’s expertise in first-person shooter mechanics with multiple maps for various play styles.