Marathon

The launch teaser for a reworked edition of Bungie's long-dormant Marathon series was one of the most unexpected reveals at Sony's recent PlayStation Showcase 2023. Although specifics about the game's gameplay are scant, Marathon's future setting opens the door to something fresh for Bungie, the developers of hits such as Destiny 2 and the original Halo. It marks the first completely new project in more than a decade for the developer.

What is Marathon about?

Marathon will be a redesigned version of Bungie's 1994 space game of the same name, which was followed by Marathon 2: Durandal in 1995 and Marathon Infinity in 1996. Marathon and its sequels, Marathon 2: Durandal and Marathon Infinity, are set a few centuries in the future and feature the UESC Marathon, a colony ship, hostile extraterrestrial beings, cyborgs, and other characters.

The games largely revolve on combating intrusive alien slavers known as the Pfhor, with a major emphasis on a story and plot provided via terminal text. There was also multiplayer in the Marathon Trilogy, including numerous modes for deathmatch-style PvP and narrative co-op. The newly announced Marathon will be a multiplayer-only game with no single-player campaign. Players can play alone or in groups of up to three.

Bungie's planned comeback to the series focuses entirely on multiplayer, describing it as a "sci-fi PvP extraction shooter." Players will command cybernetic mercenaries known as "Runners" and launch to Tau Ceti IV, a returning location from the previous game where the UESC Marathon, now a ghost ship, sits in orbit above a lost human settlement.

These Runners will fight alone or in three-man teams for intriguing alien artifacts and treasures, new pieces of gear, and fame. Notably, the developers have indicated that Marathon will have seasons, implying that the game would most likely be built upon an ongoing live service business model.

Marathon gameplay

Marathon, like Escape from Tarkov and other extraction shooters, will pit gamers and their teammates against other players in order to secure valuable caches of gear, alien artifacts, and numerous other items of loot. Players will be able to invest their resources back into their character and improve their armament for those who survive long enough to exit the map with them.

Extraction shooters are slower and more tactical than traditional battle royale experiences. This is due to the fact that there are less people on the battlefield, as well as the fact that squads aren't as forcefully corralled into each other by "the circle" as they are in typical battle royale games.

However, nothing has been verified, so it's only conceivable that Marathon's gameplay will look like this, despite the fact that the world has yet to witness any actual gameplay. Other players will be the primary hazard to gamers, however the creators have stated that PvE hostiles will also be present.

Bungie claims that approachability is a key goal for Marathon, citing how challenging extraction shooters can be for unskilled players. Fundamental physics and ideas like healing, oxygen, and gear organization have been meant to be simple and quick to grasp, with the studio hoping to make more room for "tactical thinking and creativity."

"You know, it's our job to create the fun and fantasy, not the busy work and tedium," stated Christopher Barrett.

Marathon trailers

Reveal trailer:

What platforms will Marathon be released for?

Bungie has stated that the game will be available for Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PlayStation 5. It will completely enable cross-platform gaming, allowing everyone to play collaboratively regardless of platform. Marathon will also support cross-saving and cross-progression, which is great news for gamers who own various gaming platforms. Players can also expect dedicated servers and powerful anti-cheat mechanisms.

When will Marathon be released?

Bungie has not provided an official release date for Marathon, however, past insights from Bungie CEO Pete Parsons indicate that the game will be available sometime in 2025. According to Parsons, Bungie plans to create a new non-Destiny game around 2025.