Bungie Teases Mysterious Marathon Update

Remember Marathon? It's the next big thing from Destiny developer Bungie, and it seems we're on the cusp of getting a fresh look at it.

Marathon is shaping up to be a thrilling PvP-focused extraction shooter, set against the backdrop of the enigmatic planet Tau Ceti IV. Players will step into the roles of Runners—cybernetic mercenaries engineered to withstand the planet’s brutal conditions—as they delve into the mysteries of a long-lost colony on Tau Ceti’s surface.

It's been a while since we've had any updates on Marathon. Back in October, Bungie shared a detailed development update video that gave us a glimpse into the game’s mechanics, though it was clear the project was still in its infancy. At that stage, player character models were still being refined, and enemy models were very much in their early stages.

Now, six months on, it appears Bungie is gearing up to unveil more of what they've been working on. A recent tweet from the official Marathon account teased us with a cryptic image and some garbled signal noise. Eagle-eyed fans spotted ASCII art reminiscent of footage from the debut Marathon trailer. Given Bungie's reputation for weaving mysterious teasers, hidden clues, and Easter eggs into their announcements, there's likely a lot more for fans to uncover.

Despite the excitement, Marathon's development has faced its share of challenges. The game was first announced in May 2023 as a reboot of the classic Bungie franchise, promising to deliver an experience filled with "mysteries, eeriness, and psychological creepiness." However, Bungie has been navigating through turbulent waters, marked by significant layoffs. In July 2024, the company let go of 220 staff members, representing 17% of its workforce—a decision that drew criticism from industry peers. This came on the heels of another round of 100 layoffs less than a year earlier, which left the studio's atmosphere "soul crushing," according to staff who spoke to IGN.

Adding to the turmoil, a report surfaced weeks after the 220 job cuts, alleging that former Marathon director Chris Barrett was fired following an internal misconduct investigation. Barrett has since filed a lawsuit against Sony Interactive Entertainment and Bungie, seeking over $200 million in damages.

These developments unfold against a backdrop of shifting priorities at Sony, which is rethinking its focus on live-service games. Sony president Hiroki Totoki announced in November 2023 that the company would scale back its ambitions, committing to launch only six of the 12 live service games initially planned by March 2026. This strategic pivot led to the cancellation of the highly anticipated The Last of Us multiplayer game.

While Arrowhead’s Helldivers 2 enjoyed monumental success, becoming the fastest-selling PlayStation Studios game with 12 million copies sold in just 12 weeks, other Sony live service titles have struggled. Sony’s Concord, for instance, turned into one of the biggest flops in PlayStation history, surviving only a few weeks before being taken offline due to dismal player numbers. Sony eventually decided to pull the plug on the game entirely and shutter its developer.

Moreover, earlier this year, Sony reportedly canceled two unannounced live service games—one a God of War title being developed by Bluepoint, and another from Days Gone developer Bend.

Are you excited for Marathon?