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Something to look forward to: Bungie has finally revealed gameplay footage and release details for upcoming extraction shooter Marathon, which aims to reimagine the FPS series the company released three decades ago. Pricing details are forthcoming, and the new multiplayer title will receive a closed alpha later this month.
The player-versus-player-versus-enemy shooter tasks teams of up to three players with scavenging loot from various sci-fi locations within a time limit, all while fighting opposing teams and NPC-controlled enemies. Players drop all loot upon dying but can acquire permanent upgrades if they successfully escape.
Co-op is encouraged through a revival system, contextual pings, and shared objectives. Dynamic events and weather can make each match unpredictable, and players can customize characters to suit different classes.
Marathon will be similar to Escape From Tarkov and Hunt: Showdown, but Bungie’s take will be more accessible for mainstream audiences and controller users. The company describes its latest project as an intense but rewarding experience. Although the new Marathon entry won’t include a single-player mode, users can enter matches alone for a greater challenge.
Bungie will deliver the storyline across multiple seasons and community events. Settings and other details from the original Marathon trilogy will appear, but the company has reimagined them for a new audience. To set the tone, Bungie released an eight-minute animated cinematic short directed by Alberto Mielgo (“The Witness” and “Jibaro” from Netflix’s Love, Death & Robots series).
The closed alpha runs from April 23 to May 4. Users located in North America can apply through the official Discord, but the test will hold a limited number of players.
Marathon launches on September 23 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series consoles. Bungie has yet to specify the price, but confirmed that it won’t be “full-priced,” likely indicating a price tag below $70. Prior reports suggest that Helldivers 2’s enormous commercial success at $40 encouraged Bungie to adopt the same price for Marathon.
Although Bungie aims to reach a broad user base, many still have reservations about a multiplayer-only sequel to a narrative-based single-player trilogy. Bungie released the first Marathon in 1994 exclusively for Mac. The FPS and its two sequels were well-regarded, drawing comparisons to Doom and pioneering elements that later appeared in Bungie’s more famous Halo series.
The classic Marathon trilogy is available for free on Steam and through Bungie’s website. It supports Windows, macOS, Linux, and numerous modern quality-of-life elements to assist new players.
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