Marathon

What it is

Marathon is a science-fiction survival extraction shooter developed and published by Bungie. It released on March 5, 2026, for Windows PC through Steam, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Players enter dangerous zones, gather equipment and valuables, complete contracts, and attempt to extract before hostile forces or rival players end the run. Successfully recovered gear supports later deployments, putting equipment and progression at the center of its repeatable multiplayer structure.

Bungie revealed Marathon on May 24, 2023. Its April 12, 2025 gameplay showcase announced a September 23, 2025 release date, which the studio postponed on June 17, 2025 following alpha feedback. A December 15, 2025 developer presentation established the March 2026 release window, before Bungie's January 2026 announcement confirmed March 5. The released game supports cross-play and cross-save across its three platforms.

Story and setting

The setting is Tau Ceti IV, a lost human colony filled with abandoned facilities, security installations and the remains of an expedition that went silent. Above the planet hangs the UESC Marathon, a derelict colony ship whose interiors form part of the game's endgame. On the surface, rival Runners compete for salvage while hostile UESC security forces defend restricted territory.

Players inhabit Runners: cybernetic mercenaries using configurable, bio-printed bodies called shells. Rather than following one named campaign protagonist, the game introduces its world through exploration, faction relationships and recoverable narrative material. Six competing factions offer contracts that reveal their interests, rivalries and connections to the colony.

Completing contracts, collecting narrative items and reaching other milestones unlocks Codex entries that can be read outside deployments. Audio recordings, text logs, graffiti and abandoned systems contribute to the mystery. Gantry, the MIDA faction agent introduced in Bungie's January 2026 trailer, is one of the characters involved in this faction-driven storytelling.

Gameplay and modes

The core activity is PvPvE extraction: players contend with other Runners as well as computer-controlled enemies and environmental threats. Solo lobbies and crews of two or three provide different ways to deploy. Rook offers a scavenging alternative, placing a lone player into an already-running match. Proximity chat also allows communication with nearby players, including temporary cooperation between otherwise competing groups.

Runner shells provide different ability foundations, while weapons, implants and core upgrades shape a build. The available roster includes Assassin, Destroyer, Recon, Sentinel, Thief, Triage and Vandal, alongside the separate Rook scavenging experience. Sentinel joined with Season 2 on June 2, 2026. That update also introduced the Cradle, which allows investment in shell statistics and perks over the progression period.

Faction contracts support advancement beyond individual runs, including access to upgrades, starting equipment and additional vault capacity. Ranked adds competitive progression tied to valuable loot and successful extraction. Cryo Archive, aboard the Marathon, combines extraction combat with security-clearance systems, puzzles and defended vaults; access follows an activity schedule rather than remaining continuously available.

The current Nightfall Refresh also rotates Sponsored Queues. Regular Extraction remains available in each zone, while these additional queues follow a published calendar. Vault Breaker returned on October 20, 2026 as a limited-time activity.

Reception

Metacritic's game page currently displays a Metascore of 82/100 based on 55 critic reviews, categorized as generally favorable. Individual reviews nevertheless describe different experiences: GamesRadar+ praised the PvP encounters and setting, while TechRadar criticized the progression grind.

Bungie's own post-launch communications have acknowledged problems rather than treating launch as a finished endpoint. Its September 14, 2026 development update identified Season 2 progression and reward issues that pushed some players toward the endgame faster than intended while leaving others behind. The October refresh subsequently reset progression and adjusted rewards, providing an important distinction between launch-era reviews and the systems available today.

Post-launch updates and editions

Season 2: Nightfall arrived on June 2, 2026 with Night Marsh, Sentinel, the Cradle and additional weapons. Bungie subsequently moved away from a strict seasonal release schedule. Nightfall Refresh arrived on October 6, 2026, resetting progression and the economy while adding a NuCaloric Reward Pass at no additional cost to owners.

The latest officially listed patch is update 1.1.9.5, released October 20, 2026. Alongside Vault Breaker's return, it restored the C.A.R.R.I. Armory, adjusted event offers and gave solo players 50% more Vault Breaker event currency. Symbiosis is announced for December 8, 2026, with a permanent PvE experience, an expanded Perimeter, the Bishop shell and social features. These remain announced additions, not content already available.

The official US list prices are $39.99 for Standard and $59.99 for Deluxe. Standard includes the game and its announced gameplay updates; Deluxe adds a Premium Rewards Pass voucher, 200 SILK tokens and specified weapon and shell cosmetics. A physical Collector's Edition was also announced. However, the Bungie Store closed to new purchases on October 19, 2026; existing orders continue to be processed. Gameplay updates are distinct from paid cosmetic rewards, and purchased Rewards Passes do not expire.