$40 Marathon Launches With $15 Cosmetic Packs

"The cosmetic bundles, which include a runner skin, a weapon skin, a small cosmetic trinket, and a player profile image and banner, cost 1500 Lux or $15 in real money. You can also buy runner skins separately for around $12. While that is comparable to what skins cost in games like Bungie's own Destiny 2, Fortnite, and Rainbow Six Siege, the difference is that those are free-to-play experiences. Marathon is $40."

"Reaction to the skin costs has been mixed. Some players on Reddit seem to really like the skins and are happy Bungie is charging for cosmetics and not locking content behind paid expansion packs. Others aren't happy with the idea that a $40 video game is packed with $15 cosmetic packs and $10+ skins on day one."

"Of course, with how expensive Marathon's development has been, I'm not surprised to see Bungie and PlayStation squeezing willing players for a few extra bucks on day one, even after they spent at least $40 to play the game."

Marathon, Bungie's sci-fi extraction shooter, launched today as a $40 paid game rather than free-to-play. The game features a premium currency system called Lux, where cosmetic bundles cost $15 and individual runner skins cost around $12. These cosmetic prices are comparable to free-to-play titles like Destiny 2, Fortnite, and Rainbow Six Siege, but Marathon's paid entry creates controversy. Player reactions are divided: some appreciate cosmetics-only monetization without expansion packs, while others view the pricing as excessive for a premium title. Similar pricing exists in Call of Duty, though Marathon's high development costs likely drive Bungie and PlayStation's monetization strategy.

Read at Kotaku