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Curing U.S. Health Care, Part I
In 2008, much to their own surprise, leading Democrats unified around a program of major health care reform. Policy wonks had spent years developing the concepts behind what eventually became Obamacare; big Democratic victories in the 2006 midterms and the prospect of controlling both Congress and the presidency made it possible to imagine turning those ideas into reality. During the Democratic primary, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama advocated similar plans, based on those ideas, for expanding insurance coverage. And it happened! The Affordable Care Act was enacted in 2010. When it was fully implemented in 2014, millions of Americans got health insurance: Impressive as the raw numbers are, they don’t tell the whole story. Before the ACA, even upper-middle-class Americans often found it impossible to get health insurance if they had pre-existing medical conditions. Many Americans were trapped in jobs they wanted to leave but couldn’t for fear of losing their employment-based coverage. Meanwhile, dire predictions from the usual suspects about runaway costs proved wrong. In fact, overall U.S. medical spending has grown much more slowly since the ACA was enacted than before. But the U.S., alone among advanced nations, still falls far short of providing universal health care. As you can see from the chart above, 8 percent of the population was still uninsured in 2024, a number that is set to rise over the next two years as a result of Republican policies. True, many of the uninsured in 2024 were undocumented immigrants, who we don’t try to cover. But there are still a lot of uninsured. Moreover, a significant number of Americans who have health insurance are in fact underinsured. As a result, they are at risk of incurring devastating healthcare costs and are sometimes forced to forgo needed care. This number is set to rise sharply in the next two years as a result of Republican policies adopted under Donald Trump. And not only is the U.S. unique among advanced countries in its under-provision of health care coverage, it also incurs by far the world’s highest healthcare costs per capita. So now may well be a good time to get behind a new push for major health reform — an effort, if you like, to finish the job begun under Obama. Today’s primer is devoted to the economics of health reform. During his failed effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Donald Trump famously complained, “Nobody knew healthcare could be so complicated.” Actually, we did know — and it’s not that complicated. Health economists understand the principles very well. And because health policy varies greatly among advanced nations, we know a lot about what works and what doesn’t. This will be the first in a series about health reform. Beyond the paywall I’ll address the following: 1. Why markets can’t be trusted to deliver healthcare 2. Routes to universal healthcare 3. What works? In a follow-up post I’ll discuss the pros and cons of different approaches, and possible paths forward for the United States.
Sports Highlights
Nathan Pai: Nathan Pai, a junior on the Lake Oswego boys golf team, broke through to finish second in the Three Rivers League tournament at Stone Creek Golf Club in […]
Mizzou shines coast-to-coast with big weekend results
The distance squad delivers in a big way, stacking top-10 finishes across a packed Saturday
Portland metal finishing company to halt solvent use after emissions exceed health limits
A SE metal finishing company has agreed to stop using a chemical solvent after emissions exceeded health risk levels.
Louisville denies Sporting Jax men in last-minute finish
Sporting Jax men's soccer is still looking for its first victory, after a last-minute loss to Louisville City in the USL Championship.
Munster boost top-eight hopes with Benetton win
Munster score seven tries in a 45-15 win in Benetton to boost their hopes of finishing in the top eight of the United Rugby Championship.
The Unfinished War: Brinton exhibition highlights Native perspectives of famous battle
“We have this wonderful opportunity, because of our collection, to really tell this story from the (Native) perspective,” Wierich said. “Art can be a testimony to endurance and resilience.”
Ogden Raptors add new broadcast voice with familiar pedigree
The Ogden Raptors are adding a new voice to the broadcast booth for the 2026 season. The team announced the hire of Arden Louchheim as an additional announcer for play by play and color commentary. Louchheim is finishing up both her sports media degree and her women’s golf career at the University of Nebraska but […]
USWNT beats Japan 3-0, displaying dominance after Tuesday’s loss
On a cool night at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo., the U.S. women’s national team didn’t just beat Japan, it looked like itself again. And at the very center of their 3-0 score was defender Kennedy Wesley. After a scoreless first half, Wesley set up Naomi Girma in the 47th minute, who calmly finished at the back post. Less than 10 minutes after the first goal, Wesley intercepted a pass and found Lindsey Heaps in midfield. Heaps slipped it to Rodman, who dribbled her defender
Oilers spring sports stand strong
By Mara Waire wairem@findlay.edu Men’s Golf The University of Findlay Men’s Golf team competed on the road at the Wright State Invitational on April 13, 2026, finishing 4th overall against a field composed primarily of Division I programs. The team posted a cumulative score of 18 over par, recording consistent rounds of 292, 284, and […]
Unfinished business@ChicagoHoundsRugbyMLR vs @TheNewEnglandFreeJacks
7 meetings. 2 Conference Finals. A one-point classic 📺 Sunday 4 PM ET ESPN+ | 🎟️ https://bit.ly/MLRMusicCity
Colorado’s $46.8 billion budget nears finish line
The Colorado Senate on Thursday voted largely along party lines to approve $46.8 billion in spending for the next state budget. The spending plan is bigger than what legislators originally approved for the current fiscal year’s budget, driven by increases in Medicaid costs. The proposal saw changes from a dozen amendments during debate Wednesday, but […]
Union coach Eta wants focus on football after landmark appointment
Union Berlin coach Marie-Louise Eta said Thursday she was looking forward to questions about football rather than her pioneering role as the first female manager of a men's team in a top European league. Eta, who became the first female assistant coach in Bundesliga history at Union in 2023, is still slated to take over the club's women's team in the summer regardless of how the men's side finishes the season.
Despite late-night maneuvering, agriculture bond fails enactment again
A final push for a $45 million agriculture bond was still not quite enough to get the legislation past the finish line and on the November ballot. Instead, the bond is stuck between chambers as the Maine Legislature ends the session.
Finish Line: The quiet rise of "prescribing connection"
Physicians are sending patients to choirs, art studios, walking clubs and lakesides.
Maine lawmakers adjourn with unfinished business, may return to handle vetoes
State lawmakers wrapped up their legislative session a day early on Tuesday but left several issues unresolved.
Iron Hill Brewery reopening in Center City with "unfinished business"
Catching up with Stars GM Jim Nill: Unfinished business, injury updates, playoff format and more
Nill, whose team has gone to three straight conference finals, signed a two-year extension recently: "We haven’t finished what we’re doing."
From parent rights to school sports, the education bills that died in 2026
While lawmakers passed more than four dozen education-related bills, a long list of others did not make it to the finish line.
After falling short last season, TF Sport has unfinished business in WEC
TF Sport's Corvettes were in title contention for much of last season but they ultimately fell short This year the aim is to finish the job.
WECT INVESTIGATES: Hampstead business owner faces felony charge, state investigation
A Hampstead pool contractor faces a felony charge after accusations of taking customers' money and not finishing projects.
Construction wraps on California Science Center's building that will house Space Shuttle Endeavour
Mission nearly complete. The California Science Center says construction is finally finished on a building that will house Space Shuttle Endeavour.
iPhone 18 Pro Deep Red Color Likely as Android Rivals Prep Same Shade
Apple's upcoming iPhone 18 Pro is very likely to come in a new deep red color, claims a Chinese leaker, because the color is already being prototyped by Android phone makers. In February, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple is testing a deep red finish for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. Rumors of purple and brown finishes have also circulated, but Gurman believes those are just variants of the same red idea.
Doc Rivers out as Milwaukee Bucks coach, per report
Doc Rivers is out as coach of the Milwaukee Bucks after a disappointing 32-50 finish to the 2025-26 NBA season.
Player Grades: Cavs vs Wizards – Tyrese Proctor ends strong
Proctor helped the Cavs finish the season strong.
Sabres seeking two more wins, starting with Blackhawks Monday
With two games remaining in the regular season, the playoff-bound Buffalo Sabres can finish anywhere from first to third in a stacked Atlantic Division.
BGHS students earn multiple honors at science competitions - Sent-trib
Bowling Green High School students demonstrated their scientific knowledge, teamwork, and problem-solving skills at two regional science competitions held on March 14, earning multiple top finishes and one student advancing to the state level.
Ira Winderman: Wins up, seed similar, season sideways for Heat
MIAMI — A better record. A similar play-in seed. But at least less drama, so there’s that. A year ago, when assessing a 37-45 season that delivered the Heat to the No. 10 and final play-in seed, the thought was of a net gain in escaping a half season of Jimmy Butler drama. Now, when assessing a record assured of finishing on the plus side of .500, the question is if the gain is tangible, ...
Colorado House finishes work on 2026-27 state budget, finally
The House on Saturday, after four days of work – it usually takes two – finished up their work and voted on the $46.8 billion 2026-27 state budget, as contained in House Bill 1410 and 64 accompanying measures designed to help balance the budget. The delay in getting to the finish line was caused by […]
Max Muncy hits three homers, lifts Dodgers on walk-off
LOS ANGELES — Max Muncy gave Dodger Stadium a finish worthy of the big screen Friday night.
Knicks stay in hunt with late win over rival Celtics
Josh Hart and Jalen Brunson kept the New York Knicks in the hunt for second place in the NBA's Eastern Conference as they beat the Boston Celtics 112-106 Thursday.But a Hart layup and a Brunson free throw restored the Knicks' lead, before Hart finished the game off.
High school sports top performers from Tuesday, April 7
Tuesday's high school sports top performers piled up the points, sprinted to the finish and aced the greens. Find out who made the cut from April 7.
Incredible MacBook Neo demand may finish off Apple's A18 Pro stock
The MacBook Neo is a massive success for Apple, with high demand prompting talks between Apple and the supply chain about making more units, and how to solve a possible A18 Pro stock problem.
Youngkin on political future: ‘I have more to give’
Former Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) made clear he’s ready to return to public office just weeks after finishing his term and leaving the governor’s mansion. In a preview of his interview on the…
Google has launched a free, offline AI dictation app that will automatically polish your speech.
Google AI Edge Eloquent is a new live AI transcription app that requires no subscription and has no usage limits. When you finish speaking, it will also filter out filler words like “um.” It’s currently only on iOS, but Google plans to bring the app to Android and macOS. [Image: https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/google-ai-edge-eloquent-app-store.jpg?quality=90&strip=all]
Nebraska men’s gymnastics places second, snags two titles at Big Tens
Nebraska men’s gymnastics had four top-three finishes at the 2026 Big Ten Championships at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Friday, April 3 and Saturday, April 4.
Windass lauded after 'top-class' strike
Phil Parkinson lauded the quality of Josh Windass after the forward's "top-class" goal in Wrexham's 2-2 draw with West Bromwich Albion. The 32-year-old netted his 12th goal of the campaign across all competitions as the Red Dragons came from 2-0 down to earn a point against the Baggies at The Hawthorns on Friday. "He's a player who can produce big moments and he's done that with a brilliant finish," Parkinson said of Windass.
Reds Finish Off Sweep of Rangers
Texas Rangers offense wasn't too effective, leading team to a 2-1 loss and series sweep by Cincinnati Reds.
Astros ace Hunter Brown hits IL after AL Cy Young contender suffers right shoulder injury
Brown is fourth in AL Cy Young odds for 2026 after finishing third last season
UFC Fight Night 272 results: Finish for Renato Moicano
Renato Moicano earns a decisive victory in main event of UFC Fight Night 272.
WOMEN'S TRACK AND FIELD CAPS PACESETTER SPORTS INVITATIONAL
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - The IU Indianapolis women's track and field squad closed out the two-day Pacesetter Sports Invitational, hosted by Indiana State on Saturday (Apr. 4). Freshman Sarah Madi-Bouabre earned a runner-up finish in the long jump while Paige Schulte finished fifth in the 200m event and sixth in the 400m.
Track & Field Competes in Pacesetter Sports Invitational
The Valparaiso University men's track and field team scored 21 points and finished in the top half of the field, while the women's squad accrued 19 points as the Beacons participated in Indiana State's Pacesetter Sports Invitational on Friday and Saturday in Terre Haute, Ind.
iPhone 18 Pro Leak: Apple Is Reportedly Killing Its Signature Finish
A new leak suggests that the colors for the iPhone 18 Pro have been finalized — and there’s a surprising omission.
Struggling Heat eager to get right vs. woeful Wizards
Hoping to finish strong, the Miami Heat will play host to the Washington Wizards on Saturday afternoon.
NHL Playoff Race: What the Penguins need to do
The Penguins lost to Tampa last night but still remain incredibly well-positioned to secure a playoff spot this season. Here’s the relevant standings for them as of now. While there could be other avenues with a Wild Card spot, for now we’ll keep it simple on the most straight-forward path available to Pittsburgh: finishing in […]
LSU’s new Interdisciplinary Science Building has finally opened. See inside
The Our Lady of the Lake Health Interdisciplinary Science Building has finished construction Wednesday, April 1, 2026, on LSU’s campus in Baton Rouge, La.
Far from the Final Four, a protest in track spells out NCAA’s drug-fighting issues across all sports
It was supposed to be a time to celebrate as the top finishers in the NCAA Division III 5,000-meter title race lined up on the eight-tiered podium to receive their trophies. Instead…
‘Unfinished business’: 2 career staffers face rematch in Democrats’ District Clerk runoff
Both incumbent Gloria Martinez and challenger Chris Castillo spent decades at the office before they were pushed out by an old boss.
Raptors, vying for playoff spot, take on depleted Grizzlies
With six games remaining in the regular season and a guaranteed playoff spot at stake, the Toronto Raptors are in desperate need of a strong finish.
The Last of Us multiplayer game was roughly 80% complete when it was cancelled, claims former director
Former Last of Us multiplayer game director has said the game was roughly "80 percent" finished by the time of its cancellation.
Leaker says there's no back to black for the iPhone 18 Pro
Apple disappointed some when it launched the iPhone 17 Pro without the option to buy it in a black finish....
Previewing the NHL and NBA stretch run, plus Puka’s rehab trip
The Pulse Newsletter 📣 | This is The Athletic’s daily sports newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Pulse directly in your inbox. Good morning! Maybe I’m too online, but I think all April Fools’ Day content should be banned. Sorry. Real news coming up: 🏒 NHL playoff picture 🏀 NBA playoff picture, too 🗳️ Goal versus hoop, let’s finish this Two of our major sports share the same calendar schedule and number of games. Today, we are table-setting each of their stretch runs as the playoffs near. I had a hard time choosing between metaphorical children to cover first,...
Alperen Sengun Provides Positive Health Update After Rockets Victory Over Bucks
Houston Rockets star center Alperen Sengun delivered good news for the fan base Wednesday night. Sengun logged 29 minutes against the Milwaukee Bucks, finishing with 25 points on 9-of-13 shooting, including 2-of-2 from three. What makes those numbers more impressive is that Sengun has battled multiple injuries throughout the year.
'A realisation of tens of thousands of people's hopes'
Construction on Hill Dickinson Stadium began in August 2021 and was completed in 2025. The Toffees finished four points above the relegation zone in 2021-22 and just two points clear of the drop zone the following season. Everton also cut ties with Russian sponsors in 2022 following the invasion of Ukraine and the Friedkin Group took over the club in November 2024.
Trump says US forces will 'finish the job' soon in first prime-time speech since starting Iran war
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said U.S. forces will "finish the job" in Iran soon as "core strategic objectives are nearing completion," offering a full-throated defense of the war
The Chicago Blackhawks Are Closer to Contention Than They Seem
It has been another long year for the Chicago Blackhawks, but the new-look squad is closer to contention than ever. The Blackhawks are slated to finish the season with the most points in the standings they’ve had since the 2019-2020 season. This would also be the best season under the Kyle Davidson regime, which took […] The post The Chicago Blackhawks Are Closer to Contention Than They Seem appeared first on The Lead.
UEFA Women’s Champions League Preview: FC Bayern vs. Manchester United
FC Bayern Munich look to finish the job at the Allianz Arena as they welcome UEFA Women’s Champions League debutants Manchester United. The Bavarians won the first leg of the quarter-final tie 3-2 a...
MMA great wants Israel Adesanya to retire
Former two-time middleweight champion Israel Adesanya suffered his fourth consecutive loss last weekend. "The Last Stylebender" faced Joe Pyfer in the UFC Seattle main event and was finished in the second round. Adesanya will turn 37 in July. Considering what he's accomplished and his recent ...
On verge of postseason, Nuggets face future-focused Jazz
The Denver Nuggets are soaring to the finish line and look to post their seventh consecutive victory when they visit the Utah Jazz on Wednesday.
Aaron Glenn obsessed with making good on his 'unfinished' Jets business
Now that he is in his second year as head coach and consumed with the day-to-day details of the job, how often does he think of that larger goal?
Know the risks: Campus Health’s guide to responsible cannabis use
Not every college student uses cannabis, but for those who do, it’s important to know how to reduce potential risks. This April, learn about the resources available through Campus Health Services to help you reduce your risk and finish the semester strong. Cannabis use is not a replacement for self-care and good stress management practices. Using cannabis can lead to adverse mental health outcomes, like heightened anxiety, feelings of paranoia…
Heat rally late, pull away to beat 76ers
Tyler Herro scored 30 points, Bam Adebayo finished with 23 points and 16 rebounds, and the Miami Heat used a 14-0 run in the final moments to rally past the Philadelphia 76ers 119-109 on Monday night. Pelle Larsson added 20 points and a career-high 10 rebounds for Miami (40-36), which kept some realistic hope of getting out of the play-in tournament range — or at least getting into one of the top two spots and therefore assuring itself two chances of making the playoffs — alive with the win. The Heat are ninth in the Eastern Conference, in a virtual tie with No. 8 Orlando.
Leaked GTA IV Dev Kit Reveals Unfinished Zombies Mode And More
Fans have already found loads of beta content via this newly leaked dev kit, including cut weapons and early cutscenes
Scuffling Wizards finish road trip against red-hot Lakers
Scuffling Wizards finish road trip against red-hot Lakers
This week on The V: Faith, politics and unfinished business
Panel examines faith in campaigns, Tuberville lawsuit, IVF debate and legislative priorities as Alabama's legislative session nears its end.
Shore Sports Insider Baseball 2026 Preseason Top 10
CBA and Brick Memorial renew their battle for the No. 1 ranking in the Shore Sports Insider Baseball Top 10 after the Mustangs finished in the top spot in 2025.
Donald Trump says he has no problem with Russian tanker bringing oil to Cuba despite blockade
'It’s not going to have an impact. Cuba’s finished.'
Asian Shares Decline as Oil Prices Soar Amid the War in Iran, Echoing Last Week's Wall Street Drop
TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares mostly dipped in Monday morning trading as worries continued about soaring oil prices and the potential for further escalation in the U.S. war with Iran. The drops in Asia follow the deep declines on Wall Street last Friday that finished off a fifth straight losing week,
Lauren Betts and UCLA return to Final Four with unfinished business
The Bruins' elite status cannot be minimized, and neither can Betts' legacy, but UCLA says its work isn't done.
Better Business Bureau program connects Marion family with trusted businesses to help finish dream home
A Marion family's dream home project hit a major setback after a contractor dispute left the build unfinished, but the Better Business Bureau is now stepping in to help them finish what they started.
Mid-Ohio Valley Spring Sports: Ripley baseball goes from hunter to hunted
RIPLEY — Ripley has gone from the hunter to the hunted. That’s what happens when you win a state championship return and eight starters. The Vikings finished 27-5 last season, blanking Frankfort 5-0 in the Class AAA state final. “It’s a completely different mindset this year,” said Ripley head coach Shane Casto. “We’ve got the […]
Check out all 9 UFC Seattle finishes
UFC Fight Night: Adesanya vs. Pyfer took place on Saturday at Climate Pledge Arena. The 13-bout fight card featured nine finishes. The event was headlined by a middleweight match between former two-time titleholder Israel Adesanya and No. 14 ranked Joe Pyfer. Check out highlights of ...
UFC Seattle results: Former champion suffers stunning defeat
Joe Pyfer earned the biggest win of his career, finishing Israel Adesanya.
UFC Seattle bonuses: Top of the card banked bonus checks
Following Saturday's UFC Seattle event at Climate Pledge Arena, the fight promotion announced the recipients of the performance-based bonuses. The 13-bout fight card featured 9 finishes, including finishes in every main card match. Two "Performance of the Night" bonuses were awarded and "Fight of ...
Release Engineer Completes Data Science Online Courses
This spring a release engineer completed three Coursera Data Science courses from Johns Hopkins and the Software Carpentry instructor training, each roughly four weeks long. The courses covered The Data Scientist's Toolbox, R Programming, and Getting and Cleaning Data, and required substantial external reading to finish programming assignments. The training emphasized R, GitHub, reproducible research, and evidence-based teaching methods applicable to managing distributed systems.
Highlights! Itauma Erases Franklin With Vicious Uppercut
Rising boxing sensation Moses Itauma was back in action earlier today (Sat., March 28, 2026), as the undefeated (14-0) Heavyweight knockout artist took on Jermaine Franklin inside Co-Op Live in Manchester, England. Known for finishing his foes early — with 12 of his knockouts coming in under three rounds, eight in the first — it […]
Yankees and Mets open the 2026 season
Both the Yankees and Mets opened their seasons this week, looking to build off disappointing finishes to 2025.
Kirsty Muir: British freestyle skier wins historic World Cup titles
Kirsty Muir becomes the first British woman to win both the slopestyle and overall World Cup titles by finishing second in the season finale in Switzerland.
Borderlands 4 Faces Backlash Over $30 DLC That You Can Finish in Two Hours
Borderlands 4 DLC faces criticism as players claim the $30 expansion lasts barely two hours, questioning its price and content
Glasgow's Smith relishing business end of season at Scotstoun
Glasgow Warriors' bonus-point win over Benetton could prove "massive" in their pursuit of a top-two finish, according to Ollie Smith. Warriors trailed 10-7 at the break after a scrappy first half at Scotstoun, but they delivered a strong response to run out 31-10 winners and strengthen their place at the top of the URC table. "We've set ourselves up in a good position all season, top of the log in the URC and up there in the Champions Cup as well," full-back Smith told BBC Scotland.
Islanders vs. Panthers Matinee News
The Islanders’ up-down, up-down form hopefully does not continue today when they host the Panthers for a 1 p.m. matinee in Elmont. Florida split two games at home (lost to the Wild, beat the Kraken) after finishing a road trip with a 4-1 loss in Calgary. Yes, they are last-except-for-the-Rangers in the East, but the […]
Ken Burns on America’s Unfinished Revolution
At Radcliffe, the filmmaker joined Harvard historians to discuss what the nation’s founding means today.
2025 Fantasy Football Fallers After the Byes
We know the upcoming season’s schedule the minute the previous season ends. Not the order, but the opponents. Two games against each division opponent, playing a couple divisions once each, then a couple more games based on finish. The order…
INVESTIGATION: Jewelry business under fire after customers say they paid thousands for unfinished rings
A Cedarburg jewelry business is facing backlash from customers who say they paid thousands of dollars upfront for custom rings and never received the finished products.
Wembanyama dominates inside as Spurs trounce Grizzlies 123-98
Victor Wembanyama had 19 points, 15 rebounds and seven blocks as the San Antonio Spurs built an early lead and coasted to a 123-98 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night. Devin Vassell matched Wembanyama's 19 points, while Stephon Castle and Keldon Johnson finished with 15 points each, as seven Spurs finished in double figures. With its seventh straight victory, San Antonio moved within two games of Oklahoma City for the top spot in the Western Conference as the Boston Celtics stopped the Thunder's 12-game winning streak with a 119-109 victory on Wednesday night.
Marathon has sold 1.2M copies across Steam, PS5, and Xbox
Alinea Analytics estimates show that Marathon has generated gross revenues of $55M via 1.2M copies sold on Steam, PS5, and Xbox: Looking at the split between Steam, PS5, and Xbox, Steam is clearly the main platform for Marathon, accounting for a little under 70% of the audience (800K copies sold). Meanwhile, PS5 takes about 19% (217K) and Xbox (including console, PC, and cloud) accounts for a bit over 11% or 133K. Marathon is technically a first-party Sony title, so seeing the home console struggle to break 20% of the volume is a notable data point for the ongoing platform-agnostic debate. PlayStation Studios online games will almost certainly continue being multiplatform (despite Sony reportedly pulling back on PC releases). Subscribe for free to get the most accurate games estimates in your inbox twice a week 🫶 Subscribe As for Marathon, the consensus among hardcore players who pushed through the awkward onboarding phase – myself included – is that it’s fantastic. The gunplay, aesthetic, and presentation are among the best in the shooter genre. A great game doesn’t always equal an immediate hit, though, as shown by our estimates. Things are looking lukewarm right now. But this might be one of those marathon-not-a-sprint situations. Had to, didn’t I? Why wasn’t Marathon a hit on the same level as Arc Raiders? One topic that came up in a lot of conversations at GDC this year was why Marathon hasn’t hit the same stratosphere as Arc Raiders. On paper, they’re both extraction shooters, and Marathon has the Bungie pedigree – the house that built the gold standard for gunplay in Halo and Destiny. Marathon’s neon-futuristic aesthetic also distinguishes itself from the gritty realism of Tarkov or the post-apocalyptic hope of ARC Raiders. But vibes can only get you so far for first impressions if the onboarding feels like a brick wall. Marathon is a sweaty PvP-focused experience with a first-time user experience and UI that I can only describe as dreadful. Players are dropped into a complex ecosystem where the UI, though visually striking, is functionally uninformative, forcing users to manually hover over nondescript, identical icons just to identify basic gear or weapon mods. This lack of clarity is compounded by punishing mechanics like a severe heat gauge for movement and a scarcity of vital resources, all without a clear tutorial or a low-stakes mode to learn the ropes. Most people – even top streamers and veteran shooter players – have no idea what’s going on in Marathon at first. Arc is on the complete other end of the spectrum. As we covered here and here, Arc Raiders offers a more collaborative, approachable loop where players often work together toward shared goals. And the objectives are instantly clear. To many players, this contrast only emphasised Marathon’s issues, especially during the testing period. Players understand the Arc Raiders loop within 30 minutes, while Marathon acts as a massive filter, chewing up newcomers and spitting them out before they can experience the depth of Bungie’s signature gunplay. What I’m getting at here is that the poor first-time user experience of Marathon’s Server Slam likely stifled launch sales, while the opposite was true for Arc. Let’s look at the pre-launch copies sold for each game during their respective Server Slams (launch-aligned) : Looking at the trajectory: Arc Raiders saw a massive 80% jump in copies sold during its three-day Server Slam (day -13 to -11). Players jumped in, realised the water was fine, and immediately opened their wallets. Marathon, meanwhile, saw a 49% increase in the four days following its Slam (Day -7 to -3). At the time of each game’s respective launch, Arc Raiders had nearly double the Steam footprint of Marathon – and word of mouth only continued to grow. Bungie could have had more time to fix the onboarding process had the beta happened earlier. But Marathon launched three days after the beta finished. These factors limited the launch sales quite a bit, I reckon. Marathon has found a niche audience, though Despite the friction-heavy start, the data suggests that those who survived Marathon’s onboarding are loving life. We’ve been tracking cross-platform DAUs, and while there’s the expected post-launch leakage, many players are sticking with it. After peaking at 478K total DAUs on its first Saturday, Marathon has settled into a respectable rhythm, holding 345K DAUs as of yesterday and averaging 380K DAUs across the weekend. Steam continues to do the heavy lifting here, consistently accounting for the lion’s share of the daily players. Players have been putting in the hours, too: On Steam, Marathon’s average playtime has climbed to 27.8 hours, significantly outpacing the console averages on PS5 (16.5h) and Xbox (17.3h). Even more telling than the averages: 22% of the Steam audience has surged past the 50-hour mark, and nearly 7% have already logged over 100 hours. Subscribe for free to get the most accurate games estimates in your inbox twice a week 🫶 Subscribe This data suggests that once the Bungie magic clicks, it hooks players deeper than the average extraction shooter. There’s also started to be a shift in the game’s discourse. Marathon launched as one of those games that’s cool to hate. But as Marathon’s 100-hour club grows, we’re seeing conversations around its mechanical merit outweigh the negativity. Several high-profile creators, who were initially vocal critics, have spent the last week coming around on the mechanical depth of the endgame. It’s a subtle but positive signal; the hate train is losing steam, and a new narrative about the game is emerging. Bungie faithfuls unite Another interesting metric in Marathon’s first few weeks is who, exactly, is playing. Bungie leans heavily on its prestige as the “makers of Halo and Destiny,” in its marketing, and that message has clearly hit the mark. On Steam, the gravity (hammer) of Bungie’s previous work is unavoidable. A staggering 78.2% of Marathon players also played Destiny 2. The trend carries across other platforms, with 74.2% of PS5 players and 82.7% of Xbox players also having played Destiny 2. The Halo legacy lives on, it seems. More on that in a bit. While Destiny 2 went free to play, these numbers still represent a high-intent migration of a fanbase that trusts Bungie’s specific brand of kinetic gunplay and cryptic world-building. The Xbox data adds another layer of legacy. About 85.7% of Marathon players on Xbox have played Halo Infinite, while over half of the Steam audience has spent time in Halo Infinite and 36.1% in the Master Chief Collection (a paid collection of the old Bungie-made legacy games). Interestingly, we see a 55.9% overlap with ARC Raiders on Steam. Overlap is even higher there on PlayStation (60.5%) and Xbox (66.5%). And there’s also significant crossover with Helldivers 2 on all platforms, too. Subscribe for free to get the most accurate games estimates in your inbox twice a week 🫶 Subscribe Bungie has found some of its fans with Marathon, and the challenge now is keeping this engaged in a high-stakes PvP environment when they’ve spent the last decade primarily enjoying the power fantasies of PvE. On that note… Go the full 26 miles? Or cut and run? Time for some could’ve, should’ve, would’ve. These things would have improved Marathon’s performance at launch: A more robust onboarding process, perhaps in the form of a short single-player/PvE campaign. We know Bungie fans love this stuff. A traditional arena-based mode akin to Destiny’s Crucible could have been a bridge for the cautious players who’d have been otherwise deterred by the Server Slam. It’s also a great palate cleanser after getting merked. Introducing a dedicated PvE environment would have similarly diversified the conversation and lowered the barrier for the Bungie faithful who found the pure PvP extraction loop too abrasive. PvE is safer than PvP these days. There’s an argument that a thin PvE mode would have just felt like a budget Destiny, potentially hurting the brand more. But given how dire the FTUE is, I think it would have been a net positive. Any kind of tutorialised loop that demystifies the stakes, really. While there is merit in a studio sticking firmly to a singular creative vision, and going all in on the hardcore extraction loop. Less forgiving is the technical reality is that the user interface and first-time user experience (FTUE) were not at a commercial standard for launch. Subscribe for free to get the most accurate games estimates in your inbox twice a week 🫶 Subscribe In a landscape where player time is oversaturated and the most contested currency, a flawed FTUE is a critical failure point. But it’s not all doom and gloom, as Marathon has an incredible, unique gameplay loop, suggesting that financial success is still attainable if Bungie can pivot effectively. Bungie and PlayStation now face a difficult strategic crossroads, though – one within a challenging games market. They could: Double down on Marathon with a long-term Rainbow Six Siege- or No Man’s Sky-style recovery plan, which is something I heard Last Stand Media’s Chris Maldonado mention last week. While this could be a sunk-cost fallacy in action, it could eventually yield the audience the game’s mechanical depth deserves. Shift focus toward the inevitable Destiny 3 or another project, mitigating the escalating opportunity cost and cutting their losses, so to speak. Doing both is an expensive proposition, given the high overhead and burn rate of operating out of Bellevue, Washington. With Sony recently demonstrating a lower threshold for underperforming studios and projects, the margin for error has vanished. Whatever happens, the next six months will determine whether Marathon becomes a cornerstone of Sony’s live-service portfolio or a cautionary tale of vision exceeding accessibility. I’m hoping it’s the former, because Marathon rocks. As always, hit subscribe to get updates on Marathon and other relevant games. Subscribe Want to get your hands on our data for yourself – for free? We’re offering a free trial of our platform for games companies. Send us a message here, or reply to this email, and we’ll set you up. The last word Reply to this email – or reach out here – if you have any feedback for the newsletter – or want to request a game for us to cover. [Alinea Analytics boasts the most accurate PC and console estimates in the business. Game makers use our platform to understand their audience, keep an eye on the competition, monitor sales trends, and spot new opportunities. We equip game studios and financial institutions with accurate data and the confidence to make smarter, data-driven decisions. Want to talk about all things games market data? We’d love to chat!]
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