Marathon Fixes Guns So Fun Returns Thanks to New Patch
Marathon just dropped update one point zero point six point two, and the patch focuses heavily on the WSTR Combat Shotgun, the Cryo Archive Sponsored Kit, and a pile of bug fixes. Bungie’s extraction shooter has shown its worth over time, building a steady player base since launch and becoming one of the best-selling games back in March 2026. The developers keep cranking out improvements, and this new update proves they are not slowing down anytime soon. Have you ever tried clearing a room with a shotgun that hits like a wet noodle and wondered why the developers hate fun?
WSTR Loves AI, Hates Critical Thinking
The update makes some serious changes to the WSTR Combat Shotgun, boosting its damage from seventy-eight to eighty-five while reducing the critical multiplier from one point one five times to one point zero five times. The rate at which damage falls off also got reduced, meaning the shotgun stays deadly at slightly longer ranges than before. The update also adds a massive seventy-five percent damage bonus against AI targets, so those pesky bots will think twice before charging a shotgunner.
The MIPS Slug Converter Prestige mod saw some tweaks too, with Bungie fixing an issue that caused slugs to hit geometry when aiming around corners, vents, ladders, or nearby cover. The update increases the critical multiplier from one point one five times to one point nine times, which sounds huge until a person reads that projectile velocity decreased and bullet drop increased. The aim assist cone radius also shrank by forty-eight percent, so players actually need to aim now instead of just pointing in the general direction.
Cryo Fans Rejoice, Sponsored Kit Weekly
The update also brings good news for Cryo Archive fans, because one free Sponsored Kit for this zone can now be claimed each week. Marathon players who love running the frozen wasteland no longer need to grind for hours just to get a decent loadout. The update adds vent covers in Biostock and Preservation to prevent players from accessing the hub before unlocking Security Clearance two, with Security Clearance one now needed to open those vents.
A person might ask why Bungie keeps messing with spawn points and security doors instead of adding more guns. The update continues the team’s effort to ensure teams cannot bypass security doors separating wings without appropriate clearance, which sounds like developer speak for stop cheating, you nerds. Marathon will continue monitoring and looking for more instances like this to keep spawns in a fair state, which means the fun police are officially on duty.
Shield Icon Fixed, Dance Parties Begin
The update fixes a bunch of user interface and experience issues, including a problem where the reinforced shield used the incorrect base shield icon. The update now shows a plus sign inside the shield for the reinforce icon, which is the kind of tiny fix that makes UI designers dance with joy. Marathon also fixed an issue causing the Armory HUD to disappear when hovering over offered items, so no more guessing what a player just bought.
Contracts got some love too, with the Outpost zone seeing a fix for Runners getting stuck behind barriers in the Drone Wing while completing the Mida Truth Lies contract. Marathon players who spent twenty minutes watching a bot run into a wall can finally breathe a sigh of relief. The update also fixed an issue that prevented scan terminals from reliably revealing battery locations on the map, which means no more wandering around like a lost puppy looking for power cells.
Players Still Ignore Forty Bullet Points
General fixes include solving inconsistencies with the push-to-talk toggle setting for crew voice chat on controllers, so squads can finally communicate without sounding like broken robots. Marathon also fixed a stability issue that could cause players to receive an error and be unable to join the game when starting their run. The localization team even fixed a problem causing the C A R R I commendation description to display incorrectly in some languages, because nothing ruins a run like reading gibberish.
Does anyone actually read all forty bullet points of patch notes, or just skim for shotgun buffs? Marathon players probably jumped straight to the WSTR changes and ignored everything else until they died to a weird vent cover. The update dropped quietly on X, formerly Twitter, and the Marathon Development Team posted the full notes for anyone crazy enough to read them all.
Marathon Vents Cleaned, Cheaters Weep
So that leaves Marathon players with a shotgun that hits harder against AI, a weekly free Cryo Archive kit, and a bunch of fixes that should make runs feel less broken. The update tackles the WSTR Combat Shotgun first, then cleans up vents, UI bugs, and contract soft locks. Marathon keeps improving one patch at a time, and update one point zero point six point two continues that trend.
The shotgun feels better, the Cryo Archive gives free loot, and the vents no longer let cheaters skip ahead. Marathon might not be perfect, but at least the developers listen and fix things. The patch notes are out, the update is live, and someone somewhere just one-shot an AI with a WSTR and smiled.
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