Marathon Season 2 has only just begun, but Bungie is already making significant changes to the game’s progression systems and loot economy. Following the launch of Nightfall and the introduction of the new Cradle progression system, the developer has identified several issues that allowed players to progress faster than intended and accumulate high-tier loot at an accelerated pace.
The latest adjustments are aimed at slowing down progression and ensuring the in-game economy remains healthy throughout the season.
Bungie Fixing Excessive Cert Container Spawns
One of the biggest issues Bungie discovered involves Cert Containers on Night Marsh. According to the developer, a bug caused more Cert Containers to appear than originally intended.
These containers play a key role in Night Marsh’s progression loop. Players can collect UESC Certificates, commonly known as Certs, to access valuable loot, activate extractions, and unlock areas within Complex Control. Because of their importance, an increased spawn rate allowed players to gather resources and powerful gear much faster than expected.
Bungie has confirmed that a fix is being deployed to bring spawn rates back in line with the intended design.
Cradle Progression Costs Increased by 25%
The studio is also making changes to the Cradle, Marathon’s new progression system introduced in Season 2. The Cradle allows players to dismantle weapons, equipment, and other loot to earn experience and improve their Runner’s stats across multiple categories.
However, Bungie says the amount and quality of loot currently available have made progression much faster than anticipated. To counter this, progression costs within the Cradle are being increased by 25%.
The change means players will need more resources and experience to unlock upgrades moving forward, helping preserve long-term progression throughout the season.
More Loot Adjustments Could Be Coming
Bungie has also revealed that it is still investigating additional issues affecting the game’s economy. While no further details have been shared yet, the developer confirmed that global loot drops may be adjusted as the investigation continues.
The goal is to strike a balance between rewarding players for their efforts and preventing powerful gear from becoming too common too early in the season.
Community discussions across social media and Reddit have already highlighted concerns about highly geared squads appearing within the first day of the seasonal reset, suggesting that progression may have been advancing faster than intended.
Marathon’s Economy Faces Its First Major Test
Season 2 introduced some of Marathon’s biggest changes yet, including the Night Marsh map, the Sentinel Runner shell, new weapons, and the Cradle progression system. With the seasonal reset giving every player a fresh start, maintaining a healthy loot economy is critical to keeping progression meaningful over the coming months.
Bungie’s quick response suggests the studio is closely monitoring player behavior during the opening week of the season. Whether these adjustments will be enough remains to be seen, but players should expect further tweaks as the developer continues refining Marathon’s progression systems.
