Bungie has adopted a zero-tolerance approach to cheating in its forthcoming extraction shooter, Marathon. Through an in-depth blog entry outlining its anti-cheat strategies, the studio issued a firm warning to anyone attempting to secure an unfair edge in the game.
The blog stated that individuals detected cheating or creating cheats will face lifetime exclusion from Marathon, with no opportunities for reinstatement. That said, the company plans to implement a process for players to submit appeals.
Bungie's defenses against cheating extend further than mere penalties. The post explained how Marathon's servers will fully manage essential gameplay elements such as player movement, firing mechanics, interactions, and equipment handling. This setup ensures more fluid combat experiences while blocking exploits involving instant relocation, endless ammunition, or altered damage outputs. Additionally, a 'Fog of War' feature will restrict each player's local software to viewing only designated areas of the map, effectively countering abilities like seeing through walls, enemy position indicators, or early visibility of collectibles.
Complementing these safeguards, Bungie has integrated BattlEye, a deep-system anti-cheat tool commonly used in titles such as Fortnite, Rainbow Six Siege, and Destiny 2. The developers also assured that players who lose connection can seamlessly rejoin their ongoing session. In cases where server problems block reconnection, Bungie will strive to restore initial equipment to those affected.
Marathon's full launch is scheduled for March 5, preceded by a Server Slam preview event beginning February 26. Bungie appears intent on preempting cheating challenges, especially as the extraction shooter Arc Raiders has faced persistent exploitation issues since its debut. To combat this, developer Embark Studios introduced a three-strike policy, which certain community members have deemed insufficiently strict.