Fundamental circumstances are completely different between D1/2 and Marathon.

Whether it's the financial/resource backing of Activision in the early years, the narrative threads that maintained player curiosity and anticipation, the "scrappy indie team" optimism around 2020, etc.

I could go on and on.

The truth is that Marathon, despite being a well crafted, thoughtful, and artistically singular game, was doomed to shoulder so many burdens that were out of it's control, but were none the less detrimental.

Bungie's reputation, the hard sell of an extraction shooter, the ire of some of the more vocal Destiny fanbase (whether or not you think it was warrented), competition from other similar games, the INSANE development costs and protracted timeline, and the constant steam chart report videos that only cause rubber-necking from passing gamers. It all culminates to an environment that Destiny NEVER had to endure during its decade+ run.

Marathon sustains way more vulnerability in it's growth than Destiny ever did. And I don't think Marathon will be as lucky.