Bungie has responded to the growing cheating crisis in its shooter 'Marathon,' pledging to ramp up investment in its anti-cheat systems. This follows public outcry from several prominent streamers, including AlbralelieVT and GJake, who warned that the game's environment is being ruined, prompting many core players to consider quitting.
According to a report by Kotaku, cheaters are primarily concentrated in ranked matches and the Cryo Archive map, where they utilize paid third-party software to gain unfair advantages. Streamer AlbralelieVT posted on X that he encountered blatant cheaters in three out of seven ranked matches in a single night, leading him to return to 'Apex Legends.' "As a player, I don't have the energy to deal with a game environment flooded with hackers," AlbralelieVT wrote.
Players have accused cheaters of using wallhacks, aimbots, and landing precise long-range shots through smoke and signal interference. Furthermore, some players reported that cheaters are openly using slurs in voice chat, taunting others by claiming Bungie is powerless to stop them. Another player, Kruzer, criticized the current reporting process, noting: "I shouldn't have to quit to the main menu after dying just to hunt down a cheater in the 'recent players' list. The game needs a more intuitive reporting system."
Upgrading Detection and Technical Investment
In response to the community's frustration, PC Gamer cited a statement from Bungie confirming that the studio is refining its "zero-tolerance" anti-cheat policy. Bungie stated: "We are expanding our telemetry and detection methods to better identify these cheaters. This is an area we will continue to invest in moving forward."
Although Bungie emphasized its stance against cheating prior to the launch of 'Marathon,' many top players feel the current enforcement is far from sufficient. Streamer GJake questioned the studio's priorities: "Bungie is quick to nerf weapons and push game updates, so why are they turning a blind eye to these hackers running rampant?" Meanwhile, the community continues to call for the development team to implement a robust gear recovery system to compensate players for high-tier equipment lost to cheaters.
