Bungie’s upcoming game, Marathon, aims to provide a distinct experience rather than directly competing with established extraction shooters like Escape from Tarkov. Marathon plans to be more accessible than typical games in this genre, which often feature steep learning curves. It will also differentiate itself with a captivating cyberpunk world, diverging from the military-focused settings that dominate the extraction shooter space.
Marathon’s director, Joe Ziegler, emphasizes that the game will not endeavor to rival existing titles directly. He believes that simply mimicking successful live-service games is a futile strategy since players will naturally gravitate towards the original if they enjoy that experience. Instead, Bungie is focused on creating a compelling game that stands on its own merits.
The official announcement of Marathon came in May 2023, but it wasn’t until a gameplay reveal during an April 12 livestream that fans got a closer look, along with confirmation of its release date: September 23. During this event, Bungie introduced four character classes and hinted at the potential for more in future updates. This livestream also marked the beginning of a broader marketing campaign, featuring interviews with Ziegler by various outlets, including YouTuber Jake Lucky.
Ziegler highlighted some key aspects that would set Marathon apart from its peers, such as the absence of proximity chat to help minimize toxicity and the focus on high accessibility. While its launch is still several months away, fans will have a chance to get involved sooner through a closed alpha from April 23 to May 4, initially limiting participation to North America. Upon launch, Marathon will feature three maps and six playable classes, and it is expected to retail around $40, neither free-to-play nor a full-priced game.