Marathon Budget Surpasses $200 Million, Bungie’s Gamble Grows

Forbes cites anonymous sources claiming Bungie’s Marathon cost over $200 million to develop, potentially rising above $250 million when post-launch costs are included; the figure excludes ongoing maintenance. If accurate, Marathon would rank among the industry's costliest games and could surpass Spider-Man 2’s rumored $300 million budget. Sony purchased Bungie for $3.6 billion and integrated it into PlayStation Studios, but Marathon has struggled with player counts; its long-term profitability will hinge on ongoing content and monetization via microtransactions, with Bungie continuing to expand the game rather than winding it down.