Bungie has officially lifted the veil on Marathon, their upcoming PvPvE extraction shooter set in a mysterious sci-fi world—and reactions have been as intense as the firefights shown in the latest gameplay trailers. With Marathon now confirmed to launch on September 23, 2025 across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam, fans of Bungie’s hallmark FPS mechanics finally have a new battlefield to rally behind. The game will support cross-play and cross-save, and a Closed Alpha Test is set to roll out soon, giving players an early shot at scavenging the remains of Tau Ceti IV.
🎮 Wishlist Marathon on Steam
🎮 Watch the Gameplay Reveal Trailer
💬 Join the Official Discord
A Return to Sci-Fi Roots: What Marathon Actually Is
For longtime Bungie fans, the name Marathon carries deep legacy ties. The original Marathon trilogy (1994–1996) set the stage for many of the narrative ideas and gameplay concepts that eventually evolved into Halo. But this new Marathon is not a remake. Instead, it’s a modern, competitive squad-based extraction shooter, with players taking the role of “Runners”—cybernetic mercenaries built for high-risk loot ops on the lost colony of Tau Ceti IV.
Gameplay focuses on high-stakes runs in teams of three where players face off against both AI-controlled enemies and rival crews for loot, weapons, and narrative fragments. Loot successfully extracted from the planet’s surface can be used to improve your character, gear, or even your odds of surviving future runs.
Gameplay Breakdown: Extraction, Customization & Combat
Bungie showcased several trailers during their Gameplay Reveal Showcase, including:
- 📽️ Gameplay Overview Trailer
- 🎬 Cinematic Short Directed by Alberto Mielgo
- 🕹️ Creator Alpha Gameplay Highlights
In Marathon, players select from a roster of Runners, each with distinct abilities. For example:
- Void can cloak for stealth infiltration.
- Glitch uses speed to disrupt enemies.
- Locust specializes in close-range combat.
- Blackbird supports the team through reconnaissance and scanning.
Each run lets you customize your loadout using weapons, implants, grenades, and armor. Loot gathered during successful extractions can be upgraded or sold, while your faction reputation determines access to rare gear in the black market.
PvPvE With Stakes
Bungie’s extraction twist puts emphasis on calculated risk. Each session begins with up to six teams of three players dropping into a persistent map filled with AI patrols, enemy squads, and mysterious environmental hazards. The core loop is simple: land, loot, extract—or die trying. Lose, and everything you’ve collected is gone. Survive, and you keep your haul for future matches.
Unlike some extraction games, Marathon doesn’t feature respawning zones with buy-backs. Instead, fallen teammates leave a “death bag” that allies can stand on to revive them after a delay. This mechanic opens the door to strategic ambushes and rescue plays that reward smart positioning and teamwork.
Core Features at Launch
Bungie confirmed that Marathon will launch with:
- Six Runners (with more in future seasons)
- Three Maps (including the Marathon ship itself)
- Seasonal Progression Tree
- Faction Bounties & Black Market Vendors
- Cross-Play & Cross-Save
The developers also teased dynamic events, weather changes, and narrative unlockables embedded across the map. While Marathon is not a hero shooter, its class-based Runners with passive/active abilities place it somewhere between Apex Legends and Tarkov—but with Bungie’s signature gunfeel.
Narrative & Lore: The Marathon Universe
Set in the year 2850, Marathon draws from Bungie’s original universe while crafting a new story. Tau Ceti IV is a colony shrouded in mystery: its people are missing, its tech lies dormant, and factions now send Runners to claim what’s left. Bungie is taking a “found lore” approach, encouraging players to uncover narrative elements through gameplay, exploration, and faction bounties rather than traditional cutscenes.
The Reveal Cinematic Short, directed by Alberto Mielgo, gives a taste of the game’s deeper tone, highlighting themes of identity, endurance, and the price of survival. Characters like Glitch, Void, Blackbird, and ONI suggest there may be more human—or inhuman—stories waiting beneath the surface.
Playtesting & Alpha Access
As part of its ongoing development, Bungie is inviting players to join the Marathon Closed Alpha Test happening in the coming weeks. Interested players can:
💬 Join the Marathon Discord to sign up
📝 Participate in live Q&As and feedback discussions with developers
This open collaboration echoes Bungie’s plan to “build Marathon with the community,” although some players have voiced concern about this approach feeling like an excuse to ship an unfinished game at full price.
Price, Release Date & Launch Plans
Marathon is not free-to-play. It’s currently expected to launch at $39.99, and Bungie has not yet disclosed monetization details—but cosmetics and seasonal battle passes are likely.
📅 Launch Date: September 23, 2025
🛒 Steam Preorder | PlayStation Store | Xbox
Community Reaction: Divisive But Curious
Reception to the Marathon reveal has been… complicated. While many praised the gunplay, sound design, and art style, others criticized its lack of innovation, minimal content at launch, and overly vibrant visuals. Some longtime Bungie fans also felt disappointed by the absence of single-player content and limited player customization.
Highlights from community reactions:
- Skill Up noted the strong combat loop but questioned the $40 price tag.
- BigFry and others warned of Bungie falling into “live-service traps” with seasonal resets that wipe player inventories.
- Some praised the visuals, while others compared them to “office highlighters exploded in space.”
Despite criticism, many content creators said they enjoyed their hands-on time with the game—and are cautiously optimistic.
Is Marathon Bungie’s Next Big Win?
With over 300 developers working on Marathon for the past four years and a high-profile partnership with Sony backing its launch, Bungie has high hopes for its new IP. But they’re walking a tightrope: the extraction shooter genre is already crowded, and the audience expects depth, variety, and post-launch support out of the gate.
Whether Marathon will carve out its own identity or fade into the noise depends on what Bungie does between now and September—and how well they listen to the community they’re actively courting.
Useful Links
- ✅ Steam Wishlist Page
- 🎥 Gameplay Overview Trailer
- 🎥 Reveal Cinematic Short
- 🧠 Join the Official Discord
