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Marathon (upcoming video game)

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Marathon
Developer(s)Bungie
Publisher(s)Bungie
Director(s)Joe Ziegler
Designer(s)
  • Lars Bakken
  • Andrew Witts
Artist(s)Joseph Cross
Composer(s)Ryan Lott
SeriesMarathon
Platform(s)
Genre(s)First-person shooter
Mode(s)Multiplayer

Marathon is an upcoming first-person shooter video game developed and published by Bungie. Announced in May 2023, the game is a new entry in Bungie's original Marathon series,[1] which began in 1994. The new Marathon is being developed as a multiplayer extraction shooter with a focus on player versus player (PvP) gameplay, and loot extraction mechanics. It is set to be released for PlayStation 5, Windows and Xbox Series X/S.[2]

Gameplay

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Marathon is a first-person multiplayer extraction shooter. It is set on the planet Tau Ceti IV in the year 2893, where human colonists from the UESC Marathon, a colony ship constructed out of the Martian moon Deimos, had started a new colony. Some event caused the majority of the colonists to disappear, and the remaining survivors have formed factions to scavenge the colony for supplies. These factions have hired "Runners", humans who have given up their body in favor of specialized cybernetic ones, to infiltrate the colony, fight against both rival Runners and alien forces on the planet, and retrieve valuable artifacts, data, and resources.[3]

Each match centers around deploying into a shared environment, searching for loot, and attempting to successfully extract before being eliminated by enemy players or environmental threats. Gameplay is primarily focused on player-versus-player (PvP) encounters, though the game also features player-versus-environment (PvE) elements, including AI-controlled enemies and hazards.[4] The game will feature up to six three-player teams in each match, though players can also participate as a solo or duo operatives at a competitive disadvantage.[5][3] Players navigate a hostile world, balancing risk and reward. Items collected during a match are permanently lost if the player fails to extract successfully, while items collected on successful extractions can be used for future matches.[6][3]

Rather than a traditional single-player campaign, Marathon incorporates evolving narrative elements that are shaped by player actions and decisions over time.[7] These changes unfold across in-game seasons and events.[3] Players will have access to customization options, including different character builds, weapons, gear, and abilities.[8] The game supports both solo and team-based play, with tactics and coordination being central to success. Bungie has confirmed that Marathon will include full cross-platform play and cross-save functionality across platforms.[9]

Development

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Marathon is Bungie's first major new title since becoming a subsidiary of Sony Interactive Entertainment in 2022, and its first project in over a decade following the Destiny series.[10] Bungie revealed Marathon at the PlayStation 2023 Showcase on May 24, 2023.[11] In August 2024, Bungie underwent a restructuring, resulting in the layoff of approximately 17% of its workforce, which impacted the development timeline of Marathon.[12] The game has been worked on for over 4 years and with 300+ developers.[13]

According to game director Joe Ziegler, Marathon is not intended to replace Bungie's ongoing Destiny 2, which is primarily focused on player-versus-environment (PvE) rather than player-versus-player (PvP) combat. Ziegler said "We believe that Destiny 2 has a future, and the team working on it has been working really hard to understand what players' needs are. But if you like Destiny, and you happen to like a lot of PvP sandbox experiences, and those are other games that you play, then we think that Marathon could be something very exciting for you."[14]

In April 2025, Bungie launched an alternate reality game (ARG) that teased art assets and information about Marathon. Players solved the ARG to discover the date for a planned gameplay reveal livestream on April 12, 2025.[15] In addition to the gameplay trailer, Bungie unveiled a longer narrative trailer for the game directed by Alberto Mielgo.[16] A closed alpha test took place from April 23 to May 4, 2025; while the test was originally to require players to not disclose anything about the game under a non-disclosure agreement, Bungie lifted this restriction as they felt it was necessary to get feedback for the game.[17] The closed alpha was met with disappointment, with many critics and players believing that the game's release should be delayed.[18][19][20][21] In May 2025, Julia Nardin was appointed as the new creative director for Marathon, replacing Steve Cotton.[22]

In June 2025, Bungie announced that the game had been delayed, with a new release date to be announced later during the fall.[23]

Marathon is planned for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, with full cross-play and cross-save support planned.[5][24] The game will not require a PlayStation account for playing on Windows or Xbox systems, in contrast with several other Sony-backed games published in 2024 such as Helldivers II.[25]

Plagiarism controversy

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In May 2025, Scottish independent artist Fern "Antireal" Hook posted screenshot comparisons between in-game designs from Marathon and her publicly posted designs from 2017 that were either used in an unaltered or in a highly similar form. Antireal said that Bungie had not obtained her permission to use the designs in question.[26][27] In an interview with The Washington Post, Antireal said that despite being suspicious after initial release of marketing material in 2023, she only decided to speak out after she was able to review gameplay footage from the April 2025 alpha.[28] Bungie affirmed on social media that a former Bungie artist had included Antireal's designs without the company's knowledge. The company also affirmed they were reaching out to Antireal, were "committed to do right by the artist", as well as performing a full review of the game's assets to verify their origins.[26]

References

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  1. ^ "Marathon Closed Alpha FAQ". Marathon Help Center.
  2. ^ Plant, Logan (May 25, 2023). "Marathon: Bungie Hid a Ton of Secrets in Reveal Trailer, Including a Mini Video Documentary". IGN. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d Warren, Tom (April 12, 2025). "Bungie's slick-looking Marathon shooter arrives on September 23rd". The Verge. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
  4. ^ Norris, Jesse 'Doncabesa' (April 6, 2025). "Marathon gameplay reveal coming next weekend". XboxEra. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
  5. ^ a b Middler, Jordan (April 12, 2025). "Marathon release date revealed in first gameplay trailer". Video Games Chronicle. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
  6. ^ West, Josh; Gould-Wilson, Jasmine; Betts, Emma-Jane (May 24, 2023). "Marathon: Everything we know so far". GamesRadar+. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
  7. ^ "Bungie shares updates on Marathon development as playtests set to expand in 2025". MEFMobile. March 11, 2025. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
  8. ^ Trama, Andrea (April 14, 2025). "Is Marathon a Hero Shooter?". Game Rant. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
  9. ^ Norris, Rory (May 25, 2023). "Is Marathon crossplay?". The Loadout. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
  10. ^ "Bungie Unveils Revival of Marathon Series at PlayStation Showcase". CG Master Academy. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
  11. ^ Minotti, Mike (May 24, 2023). "Bungie and PlayStation resurrect Marathon". VentureBeat. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
  12. ^ Parrish, Ash (July 31, 2024). "Bungie is laying off 220 employees and moving others to PlayStation". The Verge. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
  13. ^ Skill Up (April 14, 2025). Marathon game director explains why it won't be free-2-play | Friends Per Second Ep #67. Retrieved April 14, 2025 – via YouTube.
  14. ^ Lewis, Catherine (April 12, 2025). "'We don't expect Marathon to become Destiny 3': Bungie reckons 'if you are a Destiny player who's not really interested in any PvP,' Marathon is 'probably not the game for you'". GamesRadar+. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
  15. ^ Hore, Jamie (April 4, 2025). "Major Marathon news feels imminent as Bungie and Sony post cryptic teasers". PCGamesN. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
  16. ^ Clark, Tim (April 12, 2025). "Bungie hired an Oscar winner to make Marathon's stunning 8-minute short, but only real sci-fi nerds will spot the cult movie that inspired it". PC Gamer. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
  17. ^ Nelson, Will (April 19, 2025). "Bungie lifts Marathon alpha restrictions, so you'll see new gameplay very soon". PCGamesN. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
  18. ^ Cruz, Christopher (May 2, 2025). "'Marathon' Is a Multiplayer Extraction Shooter That Doesn't Go the Distance". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
  19. ^ Zwiezen, Zack; Gach, Ethan (April 24, 2025). "What We Loved (And Hated) About The Marathon Alpha". Kotaku. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
  20. ^ Craig, Jo (April 30, 2025). "Marathon Alpha Players Want the Game to Be Delayed". Game Rant. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
  21. ^ Switzer, Eric (May 2, 2025). "Marathon Is The Casual Extraction Shooter No One Wants". TheGamer. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
  22. ^ Ali, Zuhaad (June 10, 2025). "Bungie Appoints New Creative Director for Marathon". The Game Post. Retrieved June 12, 2025.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  23. ^ "Marathon Delayed, With No New Date Announced". June 17, 2025. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  24. ^ Yin-Poole, Wesley (April 4, 2025). "Bungie's Marathon Finally Emerges From the Shadows to Tease… Something". IGN. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
  25. ^ Smith, Ed (April 11, 2025). "After Helldivers 2 PSN controversy, Bungie takes firm stance on new FPS Marathon". PCGamesN. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
  26. ^ a b Carpenter, Lincoln (May 15, 2025). "Bungie confirms it stole art once again, will undertake a 'thorough review' of Marathon assets". PC Gamer. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
  27. ^ Vatankhah, Matt (May 15, 2025). "Bungie Accused of Plagiarizing Yet Again: 'Marathon' Seemingly Lifts Assets from an Artist's Original Work without Their Knowledge". VICE. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
  28. ^ Park, Gene (May 16, 2025). "Artist accuses PlayStation game of lifting her work; studio admits to 'oversight'". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
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