Embark's söderlund praises bungie's swift marathon fixes
Patrick Söderlund, CEO of Embark Studios, has publicly lauded Bungie for their rapid response to playtest feedback for Marathon, effectively easing tensions surrounding the two extraction shooter titles.
Söderlund credits bungie's agility in addressing feedback
The praise emerged during an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, where Söderlund addressed the ongoing comparisons between Marathon and Arc Raiders, Embark Studios' upcoming PvPvE shooter. While acknowledging previous criticisms of Bungie's technical test last year, Söderlund emphasized the speed with which the Marathon team addressed issues raised during playtests, a feat he deemed “unusual.”
“I know their technical test last year was heavily criticized. Whether that was accurate or fair, I can’t tell you. But what I can tell you is that, even though the feedback may be a little mixed, it looks like the team has done a really good job of turning what was a big problem around in a very short period of time. That’s unusual,” Söderlund stated. This comes after reports of in-game chat censorship in Marathon, a situation that was quickly rectified.
Söderlund also offered insights into the differing focuses of the two games. He suggested that Marathon leans more heavily towards player vs. player combat, while Arc Raiders prioritizes player vs. environment encounters. He did, however, express admiration for several aspects of Marathon’s design, particularly the integration of player progression with gameplay.
The comparison between Arc Raiders, launched in October 2025, and Marathon, still in its early stages, has been a recurring topic among gamers. While the long-term success of Marathon remains to be seen, Söderlund’s comments signal a degree of amicable competition between the two studios.
Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).