Heads up: Bungie is rolling out a limited-time duos queue in Marathon so players can test how the game behaves when matches are built around two-player teams. This is a short experiment, and the studio warned it may feel rough around the edges.
What Bungie is testing
Starting Wednesday, March 18 at 10am PT, Marathon will enable an experimental duos queue. The trial will run on a single map, Perimeter, for about two weeks. Bungie said it could end the test early or extend it depending on player feedback and how the mode performs.
Why duos?
Players have been asking for a dedicated duos option since the sever slam in February. Right now Marathon supports solo players and three-player squads. Duos fills the gap for anyone with exactly one friend who wants to play without joining a three-person team or queuing solo.
What could change
- Map flow: Two-player squads alter how fights and rotations play out. Bungie wants to see how Perimeter handles that difference.
- Loot and supplies: The amount and placement of loot might need tweaking for two players instead of one or three.
- Matchmaking pools: Marathon currently divides matchmaking into several pools, letting players pick maps. Adding duos creates more queues, which could affect wait times.
- Player behavior: Different squad sizes change tactics and movement. Bungie will watch how teams adapt and whether new problems appear.
What to expect
This is an experiment. Expect unexpected bugs and balance quirks. Bungie called the feature experimental and asked players to try it and share feedback. If you want to test duos, queue up on Perimeter while the trial window is open and report anything odd you see.
If the test goes well, duos might become a regular option. If not, Bungie will gather data, adjust, and either refine the idea or scrap it. Either way, this is the studio trying to respond to player requests and see how Marathon behaves with another squad size added to the mix.
