"Become a runner in Bungie's new sci-fi PvP extraction shooter. Compete for survival, riches, and renown in a world of evolving, persistent zones, where any run can lead to greatness."
Marathon is an upcoming sci-fi PvP extraction shooter video game currently being developed by Bungie.[1] First announced at PlayStation Showcase 2023, it will be set in the same universe as the Marathon Trilogy, but it will not be a direct sequel.[2] and has been referred to as a reboot.[3]
The game will be sold for $40 USD,[4] and will have a cosmetics shop/battle pass system in addition to the flat price.[5]
Plot[]
"A massive ghost ship hangs in low orbit over a lost colony on Tau Ceti IV. The 30,000 souls who call this place home have disappeared without a trace. Strange signals hint at mysterious artifacts, long-dormant AI, and troves of untold riches. You are a runner, venturing into the unknown in a fight for fame… and infamy. Who among you will write their names across the stars?"[1]
- Description from official website
Marathon takes place on Tau Ceti IV. Players assume the role of Runners.[6]
Gameplay[]
The game is an extraction shooter, where players attempt to loot and extract safely while battling enemies.[7] The game has PvP and PvE elements,[8] the latter involving enemy NPCs.[9] Players choose from pre-existing hero characters,[3] each of whom is a character with a specific personality and unique abilities. They can extract gear in-game.[4] Players can earn buffs from XP that can apply to all characters in different changeable skill trees. Universal implants can be slotted into heroes for further characterization, though some may be character specific.[5]
Puzzles and secrets can be found in the game.[5] A game session is referred to as a "run," where the players' goals are to get out alive while gathering loot and completing quests along the way.[10] Players may operate in squads of three[9] or solo.[11] Each run has a time limit[12] of 25 minutes.[13]
If a player completes their run, they get to keep all of their loot. If they die, the loot is lost and can be pilfered by other players. The types of loot that can be gathered include weapons, utility consumables, heal consumables, and devices such as mines and grenades.[10] Players may be revived in the field by their squad mates.[12]
Players may accept contracts for objectives or resources in the field. Minishing a run with these items permanently upgrades the players stats, and adds new items to their inventory. Three month seasons will feature.[13]
Marathon has dedicated servers and disconnection protection. Players can re-connect to any in-progress game. Crossplay and cross-saves will also feature.[14] The game does not have proximity chat, in order to reduce player toxicity.[15]
Maps[]
Player count varies by map.[9] 18 is currently the maximum no. of players in any given run in the game. Maps feature elements such as dynamic weather.[12] Marathon will launch with three 'standard' maps, while a fourth, taking place on the titular Marathon, will feature raid-like mechanics, and be released post-launch.[16] Confirmed maps thus include:
- Dire Marsh
- Outpost
- Perimeter
- UESC Marathon
Development[]
The idea for Marathon came from Bungie developers playing Escape From Tarkov. A senior figure in Bungie pushed to have the company make their own extraction shooter.[17]
Development on Marathon had begun by 2022.[8] The game was first revealed by Bungie on May 24, 2023. Prior to release, it was among a number of rumored or partially confirmed games the company was trying to get out before the end of 2025. It has been confirmed that Marathon is not the same project as Matter, which is a different Bungie IP.[3]
A Destiny spinoff game, Payback, was cancelled in June, 2024. The bulk of the game's staff was transferred to work on Marathon.[18]
Development of the game was delayed in 2024. While originally the game featured customizable characters, the game was changed to feature selectable heroes.[3] The switch to the hero format reduced the amount of puzzles and secrets originally found in-game. However, the game's art and aesthetic remained consistent throughout development.[5] According to Jason Schreier, Marathon was originally slated for release in 2024 before being delayed.[19]
Marathon was designed for greater accessibility than other extraction shooters. Its cyberpunk aesthetic is a case in point of the game trying to distinguishing itself from other shooters in the genre.[15]
In September 2024, the Marathon team consisted of 300 people, while the majority of Bungie's staff remained focused on Destiny 2.[5]
Marathon was originally free-to-play before shifting to a fixed price. According to some reports, Sony was reportedly spooked by the failure of Concord in 2024, which had been sold for $40 USD. However, by this point, it was too late to restructure the game as F2P.[5]
Playtests were held in late 2024, where a number of content creators were invited to play the game. The playtesters were allowed to talk about their experience with the game, albeit without specific details.[4] The game shifted based on feedback from playtesters and content creators.[8]
The game had a full reveal in spring of the same year,[5] with a livestream reveal on April 12, 2025.[20] Alpha testing will be held sometime in 2025 prior to the game's full release.[11] The game will have a closed alpha exclusive to North America from April 23 to May 4.[15]
During alpha testing, Bungie removed a feature called "mouse magnetism," which was effectively a form of aim assist for PC players. The design choice sparked widespread backlash, and was removed accordingly.[21]
The game was originally slated for release on September 23, 2025.[22] The release date was later pushed back to come out before March 31, 2026 (the end of Sony's fiscal year).[23]
Another round of closed playtests will be held from October 22 to 28, 2025.[24]
Artwork[]
Controversy over the game's art occurred in May, 2025. Bungie admitted to using art created by Antireal in the game. She shared side-by-side images on social media, showing in-game graffiti assets nearly matching her 2017 portfolio pieces, used in the game's alpha playtest. The game's development team responded, admitting a former Bungie artist added the art to a texture sheet that got into the game. Joe Cross confirmed that during early pre-production, a former artist used graphic elements from an independent designer without permission. Those assets - icons and bits of text - were added to a decal sheet back in 2020, and eventually made their way into the alpha build. Antreal chose not to carry out legal action.[25]
Reception[]
The game's reveal was met with controversy given its nature as an extraction-shooter. The shift to a hero system was similarly controversial.[3]
After the game's formal reveal in April 2025, receptions were mixed. Many felt what was shown lacked distinguishing features and mechanics to set it apart from its peers.[26] Some compared it to Concord.[27]
Notes[]
Marathon was originally stated to take place in 2850.[28] This appears to have been changed to 2893.[29]
Gallery[]
Video[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 https://marathonthegame.com
- ↑ https://www.bungie.net/7/en/News/article/slrecap
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 https://gamerant.com/marathon-destiny-2-bungie-cast-heroes-bad-why/
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2024/10/12/marathon-playtests-revealed-by-bungie-creators-as-2025-launch-looms/
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 Forbes - New ‘Marathon’ Details On Heroes, Price And Radio Silence
- ↑ https://gamerant.com/bungie-marathon-new-delay-rumor/
- ↑ https://gamerant.com/bungie-marathon-game-director-replaced-valorant
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Game Rant - Bungie Gives Update on Marathon
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 GameRant - Bungie Reveals Marathon Gameplay and Release Date
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Gematsu - Marathon developer update teases “a lot more” to come in 2025
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Kit Guru - Bungie reveals Marathon gameplay, Closed Alpha plans and September launch date
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 YouTube - Marathon | Gameplay Overview Trailer
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Games Radar - After playing Marathon for 8 hours, I don't think Bungie's extraction shooter will be the next Helldivers 2 hit, but I don’t think it will be the next Concord bust either
- ↑ Games Radar - Marathon feels like a good extraction shooter, but it's not free-to-play, and I hope Sony and Bungie don't price it into an early grave
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Game Rant - Bungie Comments on How Marathon Plans to Compete With Other Extraction Shooters
- ↑ Games Radar - Marathon feels like a good extraction shooter, but it's not free-to-play, and I hope Sony and Bungie don't price it into an early grave
- ↑ Forbes - It’s Just Over For ‘Marathon’
- ↑ Bloomberg - Sony’s Bungie Faces Reckoning After Mass Layoff
- ↑ Games Radar - Marathon development is reportedly facing trouble at Bungie: "There's a reason that it was planned for this year and slipped a whole year"
- ↑ https://gamerant.com/april-12-bungie-marathon-reveal-livestream-date-time/ GameRant - April 12 Is Going to Be a Big Day for Bungie's Marathon]
- ↑ SFF Gazette - MARATHON's Aim Assist Feature For Mouse And Keyboard Will Be Disabled Next Alpha Patch
- ↑ Kit Guru - Marathon won’t be free to play, but it won’t be ‘full price’ either
- ↑ Gizmodo - Sony is Still Putting Its Faith in ‘Marathon’
- ↑ GamerRant - Bungie's Marathon Gets Encouraging Update
- ↑ GameRant - Bungie Addresses Marathon Art Plagiarism Controversy
- ↑ Windows Central - I think Marathon looks fun, but is Bungie hiding the game's best feature?
- ↑ Vice - Bungie’s ‘Marathon’ Reveal Trailer Has Me More Worried Than Excited – Could This Be ‘Concord’ All Over Again?
- ↑ Game Rant - Rumor: Bungie Might Delay Marathon Further
- ↑ 2025-04-13, Marathon | Reveal Cinematic Short. YouTube, accessed on 2025-04-16