{"id":1173499,"date":"2026-02-13T11:43:14","date_gmt":"2026-02-13T11:43:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/WKE4NzGkjeigF9gWJ9RsAj"},"modified":"2026-02-13T11:43:14","modified_gmt":"2026-02-13T11:43:14","slug":"marathon-everything-we-know-about-bungies-sci-fi-extraction-shooter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arcader.org\/news\/marathon-everything-we-know-about-bungies-sci-fi-extraction-shooter\/","title":{"rendered":"Marathon: Everything we know about Bungie’s sci-fi extraction shooter"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Bungie isn’t ready to retire its ’90s sci-fi FPS series, Marathon<\/a>, just yet. The last game in its original trilogy released in 1996, but the Destiny and Halo studio hasn’t forgotten its roots and announced a new Marathon game almost two years ago. Exciting stuff for gamers of yore, but go ahead and set some expectations\u2014this isn\u2019t the same Marathon we grew up on.<\/p>\n

Long gone are the days of Doom and Quake dominance\u2014sort of. Those classic series look quite different today, and Marathon will too. Bungie\u2019s new take on the old Mac OS trilogy is an extraction shooter pitting teams of three runners against each other in a fight for resources. There\u2019s no singleplayer experience this time, but there\u2019s still a season-to-season story to follow.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s everything we know about the new Marathon, including its release date, playtests, features, and every runner confirmed so far.<\/p>\n

Marathon release details<\/span><\/h2>\n

When is the Marathon release date?<\/h2>\n

Marathon launches on September 23, 2025,<\/strong> with full cross play and cross save compatibility\u2014though you will be able to opt out of facing console players.<\/p>\n

Bungie made it official during the first gameplay showcase,<\/a> nearly two years after the studio announced it was working on a new Marathon game.<\/p>\n

Since the initial reveal in 2023, Bungie’s sci-fi extraction shooter hasn’t had the easiest development cycle. In that same year, the studio announced its first round of layoffs<\/a>, only to announce another brutal wave of 220 developers cut from their jobs<\/a> in 2024.<\/p>\n

Between the layoffs, Bungie also saw leadership shake-ups. Former Marathon director Chris Barrett was reportedly fired for inappropriate behavior<\/a> with female employees and is now suing Sony and Bungie<\/a>. Joe Ziegler, former Valorant director, is the extraction shooter’s new lead.<\/p>\n

When do Marathon alpha tests begin? <\/h2>\n

The first <\/strong>Marathon closed alpha test<\/strong><\/a> is expected to begin in late April 2025.<\/strong> Sign-ups have already begun, and you can join the official Marathon Discord<\/a> for a chance to play. Bungie plans on hosting more playtesting opportunities, so don\u2019t be too bummed if you miss out on the first round.<\/p>\n

Marathon trailers and gameplay footage<\/span><\/h2>\n

Here’s the Marathon gameplay trailer<\/h2>\n
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