Bungie is considering a dedicated duos mode and time-to-kill changes after Marathon server slam feedback

The Marathon server slam is over, and now begins the awkward gap between playtest shutdown and its full release on March 5. Throughout the weekend, Bungie published daily recaps of feedback it's considering and bugs addressed, culminating in a "Weekend Feedback Recap" article published on social channels today.

"Many Runners have maxed out their Faction Rep, adopted a Rook or two, and braved the haunted hallways of Hauler. We've also heard from people saying the deeper they get into progression, the more fun they are having," the article reads.

Bungie goes on to list the main pieces of feedback that it's considering following the server slam, including the possibility of a duos playlist, time-to-kill concerns, and a more forgiving consumables economy:

• Additional queue options: Currently you have the ability to run as a Solo (be it as Rook or as a Runner in a solo lobby), or you can queue in with a duo or a full trio – but we have heard the feedback about duo dedicated lobbies. This has been logged and shared with the team.
• PvP feedback: TTK is the hot topic. Some of you want longer duels and more Runner contact, others are vibing with the current pace. We're reviewing Runner density on non-beginner maps and keeping a close eye on how Perimeter and Dire Marsh feel all in all.
• Med and ammo economy: We hear you that meds are soaking a lot of your early loadout budget and that back-to-back fights can chew through your med and ammo reserves pretty quickly. We've seen some folks for and against the Depleted items as well - along with how rewarding drops off of AI are.
• UI feedback: Keep it coming! We do plan to continue iterating post-launch and want to make sure that you're able to easily navigate, read what's happening mid-fight, manage your equipment effectively, and see your pings without any noise around them.
• PC performance: We’re digging into reports of high CPU use, low GPU utilization, FPS ceilings in the ~80–100 range, and frame hitches when fights get sweaty. If you’re seeing this, send your CPU, GPU, driver versions, resolution, settings, and ideally a short clip so we can keep digging over on our Help Forums: http://bung.ie/marathonsupport.
• Movement and heat generation: Lots of chatter around slide feel, momentum, and heat alike. The common asks are smoother slide transition, letting downhill speed carry, and lowering heat on core movement for cleaner chases and disengages. Keep your takes coming!

It's important to note that this isn't Bungie committing to changes on any of these topics—the team is acknowledging what early players are talking about and taking it into consideration.

Maybe I'm reading too much into Bungie's "the deeper players get into progression, the more fun they are having" comment, but I reckon they're signaling that several early points of friction in Marathon are deliberate, and that (much like Escape from Tarkov or Arc Raiders) the point of Marathon's early progression is to pursue upgrades that make your runs easier.

Case in point: I complained on this website just a few days ago that Marathon is too stingy with healing items. Now that I understand how vendor bartering works, I officially retract that complaint. It's pretty easy to maintain a steady flow of free or cheap patch kits and shield charges if you know where to find piles of the materials you can trade for them instead of shelling out credits, and when I do run dry in the middle of a run, there's more to find in medical cabinets or scavenge from dead players.

Bungie concluded the post with a reminder that it's very much still open to your hot takes despite wrapping up the server slam. "We've still got more empty space in our notepads to jot down anything else we hear or learn."