IGN Gave Marathon a 9/10 — Here’s Why That Score Feels Different in 2026

I read IGN’s 9/10 review of Marathon, Bungie’s new extraction shooter that launched on March 5 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. The review calls it “a ruthless and deeply unapproachable extraction shooter that’s worth every ounce of hell it puts you through.” IGN praised the unforgiving PvPvE tension on Tau Ceti IV, the creepy atmosphere, and the high-stakes loot system where one bad death can wipe your run.

And yet… here I am, wondering out loud: what does a 9/10 even mean anymore in 2026?

I’ve been thinking about this, especially because Marathon is sitting in a very crowded, very sweaty live-service genre that’s clearly struggling. Let me break down why this score feels both earned and oddly hollow at the same time.

First, as a consumer, I’ll be honest: I don’t use review scores to decide whether I’m going to play a game. I never have. I look at gameplay footage, Steam user reviews, what my friends are saying, and whether the core loop actually sounds fun to me. A number on a website is just a conversation starter, not a verdict. So when IGN drops a 9/10, I treat it as one experienced outlet’s opinion — not gospel.

From the business side, though, this score matters a lot to IGN. They are a media company that lives and dies on clicks, credibility, and advertiser relationships. Giving Marathon a 9/10 is a bold statement. It generates headlines, drives traffic, and keeps the conversation going. But it also puts pressure on the entire review ecosystem: if every solid-but-niche game starts landing in the 8–9 range, the scale starts to lose its meaning. We’ve effectively turned the old 10-point system into a 7–10 system for anything that’s not outright broken.

Public perception from the niche perspective is even more interesting. Hardcore extraction shooter fans are celebrating the 9/10 because it validates exactly what they love: punishing gameplay, real risk, and zero hand-holding. To them, the score fits perfectly. But the broader market sees the same score and wonders why concurrent player numbers have already cooled off after a decent launch peak. That disconnect affects how the game is talked about online and, ultimately, how many new players it pulls in.

Live-service games in general are suffering right now, and it’s not hard to see why. After almost a decade of battle royales, extraction shooters, and seasonal grinds, a lot of players are simply burned out on high-stress, high-commitment loops. Fortnite, Destiny 2, The Division 2, Helldivers 2, Battlefield 6 — they’re all fighting for the same limited pool of sweaty, time-intensive players. Retention has become brutally difficult, and one bad season or slow content drip can kill momentum fast.

That brings me to Bungie. They desperately needed a win with Marathon. Destiny 2 has lost massive chunks of its player base (down 91% since Edge of Fate and 97% from The Final Shape peak). The live-service model that made Bungie a giant is now working against them. A strong critical reception for Marathon gives the studio breathing room and some much-needed positive momentum. It shows they can still deliver a polished, confident experience outside the Destiny universe.

At the end of the day, I believe Marathon is genuinely deserving of the praise it’s getting. Not because it’s a Bungie game and we’re supposed to cheer for the name on the box, but because the team is actually listening to the player base and implementing what the community has been asking for: tighter gunplay, better atmosphere, meaningful risk, and a clear identity. They’re not chasing trends or watering the game down to chase mass appeal. In a genre full of copycats and fatigue, that kind of focus is rare.

So should we still care about review scores?
I think they’re useful as a quick filter and a starting point for discussion, but they’re no longer the final word. The real test is whether the game clicks with you personally and whether the developers keep supporting it after launch.

What do you think? Does a 9/10 still move the needle for you, or have you stopped paying attention to scores altogether?

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