Bungie has reaffirmed its commitment to the March 2026 launch of its upcoming extraction shooter, Marathon, amid skepticism about the game’s troubled development. The announcement, made through a significant update today, details pricing, ‘Reward Passes,’ and several gameplay enhancements that have emerged since competitor Arc Raiders entered the fray.
While an exact release date remains unspecified, Bungie is targeting a price point of $40/£40/€35 for Marathon. This pricing aligns with other major titles in the online shooter genre, including Helldivers 2 and Arc Raiders. According to Bungie, purchasing Marathon will grant players full access to the game along with a roadmap of free updates throughout the year, including new maps and events, starting with the exploration of UESC Marathon’s Cryo Archive in Season 1.
Unique to Marathon is the implementation of non-expiring reward passes, allowing players to purchase previous passes even after new ones are released. This model echoes elements found in Halo Infinite, from which Helldivers has also drawn inspiration. However, Bungie has made notable changes to the game’s mechanics, particularly in response to the success of Arc Raiders. Initially declaring that Marathon would not feature proximity chat to avoid toxicity, the developers have reversed course and will now include this feature at launch. The decision reflects the dynamics of player interaction observed in Arc Raiders, which has successfully fostered engaging social gameplay.
Moreover, Bungie introduced a new Runner shell named Rook, designed specifically for solo players. This limited loadout option allows players to join ongoing matches and scavenge loot without jeopardizing their current inventory. While this feature bears resemblance to Arc Raiders‘ free loadouts, Bungie’s earlier alpha testing had already explored similar concepts through “sponsor kits.”
Despite these positive changes, Marathon faces challenges, particularly regarding its AI enemies. Previous iterations lacked the danger and loot incentive offered by Arc Raiders‘ formidable AI opponents. However, Bungie’s recent updates promise to enhance enemy AI, moving towards a more aggressive and rewarding gameplay experience. The enemies in Marathon now include a mix of armed robots and hovering scanner drones, yet larger foes characteristic of Arc Raiders appear to be absent, raising questions about the game’s overall engagement.
The latest gameplay footage showcases significant improvements in visuals and environmental storytelling, which Bungie intends to maintain in the game’s dark, gritty sci-fi world. Art Director Jason Sussman emphasized the importance of a detailed environment, explaining that the state of bodies in-game can indicate nearby threats. Players will encounter four distinct zones, including Perimeter, Dire Marsh, Outpost, and the end-game challenge Cryo Archive, each offering a range of environmental threats and elite UESC units.
Despite its ambitious roadmap and evolving gameplay mechanics, Marathon must overcome a prevailing skepticism rooted in its troubled development history. Concerns regarding Bungie’s previous titles, especially the live service model of Destiny, loom large as the studio attempts to carve out a niche in the increasingly popular extraction shooter genre. The emergence of Arc Raiders as a potentially superior competitor has only added to the scrutiny facing Marathon.
Initial reactions to today’s update suggest that Bungie may be moving in the right direction, with many players expressing excitement over the revealed changes. However, the pressure remains high as the studio aims for a March release, a timeline some experts believe could be overly ambitious. As the gaming community watches closely, Bungie hopes to leverage the growing interest in extraction shooters to build a robust player base and ultimately redefine their legacy.
