In what I assume is a surprise, at least it was to me, Marathon has topped playtime on Xbox in the U.S.

Thanks to reporting from Circana via Mat Piscatella, we’ve got a look at player engagement for the week ending April 18, 2026.

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Platform leaders in weekly average hours per US player - week ending Apr 18 2026: Xbox - 1) Marathon 2) KCDII 3) Crimson Desert PlayStation - 1) Path of Exile 2) Neverwinter 3) Starfield Steam - 1) NGU Idle 2) Idle Hero TD 3) Rocky Idle Kinda fun. Source: Circana Player Engagement Tracker

— @matpiscatella.bsky.social (@matpiscatella.bsky.social.bsky.social) 2026-04-27T19:48:37.274Z

Over on PlayStation, Marathon is nowhere to be seen in the top three.
Instead, Starfield comes in at number three, following its recent launch on the platform after a period of timed exclusivity on Xbox.

Perhaps just as interesting, despite Steam being Marathon’s biggest platform by sales (via Forbes), it doesn’t appear in the top three there either.

That suggests Xbox players are spending more time in Marathon than players on any other platform, reinforcing the idea that Xbox continues to be a strong home for FPS engagement.

It is also worth noting that Marathon does not appear in the top 10 most played games on Xbox by player count in the U.S.

Which does highlight the difference between reach and engagement. Fewer players may be jumping in, but those who are playing seem to be spending a significant amount of time with the game.

At least on Xbox, Marathon might not be a mass market hit, but more like a highly engaged niche, which isn’t a bad thing.

I’ll be the first to admit, as I said, at the start, this is a surprise to me. I’ll also admit that I didn’t really expect this from Marathon, but I also didn't really enjoy the game.

Before you jump down my neck, I wasn’t one of the people who wanted to see it fail, quite the opposite, actually.

I think it’s great that Bungie tried something different, and hopefully the game can continue to grow, regardless of platform.

That said, what do you think? Are you as surprised as I am, or did you expect this kind of outcome?

Let me know in the comments, and be sure to take part in our poll!

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Adam is a Psychology Master’s graduate passionate about gaming, community building, and digital engagement. A lifelong Xbox fan since 2001, he started with Halo: Combat Evolved and remains an avid achievement hunter. Over the years, he has engaged with several Discord communities, helping them get established and grow. Gaming has always been more than a hobby for Adam—it’s where he’s met many friends, taken on new challenges, and connected with communities that share his passion.