Marathon Steam Charts Drop as Slay the Spire 2 Dominates Early Access Launch

Marathon achieved a strong launch and even reached 143,000 concurrent players, but the start of Slay the Spire 2 Early Access has shifted attention on Steam. Early player data shows the roguelike deck-builder quickly pulling ahead of Bungie’s shooter.

Marathon Player Count Slips as Slay the Spire 2 Surges in Early Access

According to Express, within its first 24 hours, Slay the Spire 2 reached a peak of around 209,000 players on Steam. By comparison, Marathon hit a peak of about 87,661 players shortly after launch.

Daily Steam charts also reflect this difference in momentum. Slay the Spire 2 climbed to third place, while Marathon landed around eleventh.

Despite strong launches, neither title currently appears among Steam’s most-played games. Those positions are typically dominated by esports titles and major blockbusters.

One of the biggest recent releases, Resident Evil Requiem, continues to draw large audiences and recently surpassed 5 million copies sold.

Steam User Ratings Remain Strong for Both Games

Even with lower player numbers compared to Slay the Spire 2, Marathon still enjoys a strong reception from players.

The game currently holds a “Very Positive” rating on Steam based on roughly 2,500 reviews.

Meanwhile, Slay the Spire 2 has earned an “Overwhelmingly Positive” rating with around 1,800 reviews, suggesting early access players are responding extremely well to the sequel.

Slay the Spire 2 Expands the Roguelike Deck-Building Formula

Slay the Spire 2 builds on the formula that made the original game a hit. The early access version introduces new cards, relics, potions, enemies, and expanded mechanics that add more depth to each run.

A major new feature is co-op multiplayer, allowing players to tackle runs together, something the first game did not offer.

Marathon remains available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, but a recent rating listing created some confusion.

The ESRB page briefly listed PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions, suggesting possible last-generation releases. Bungie has not confirmed those versions, and the listing may simply be an error.

For now, both games continue to attract attention on Steam, though early data shows Slay the Spire 2 currently leading the player charts.