Bungie has unveiled an exciting new ViDoc for Marathon, a first-person extraction shooter based on their iconic sci-fi series. Known for legendary franchises like Halo and Destiny, Bungie has set the release for March 2026, following confirmation from its parent company, Sony Interactive Entertainment.
The Vision Behind Marathon
The ViDoc, ‘Vision of Marathon’, delves into the game’s design philosophy. Bungie aims to showcase its mastery of tight, immersive gunplay, deep sci-fi worldbuilding, and high-stakes PvP. The game combines these elements into a seamless PvPvE experience where players must navigate the balance of risk and reward. Dubbed as ‘gunfight poker’, players decide when to press on and when to retreat to protect their hard-earned gear. Proximity chat is a notable addition, enabling temporary alliances even beyond pre-arranged teams.
Visually, Marathon promises a gritty, atmospheric world on Tau Ceti IV, distinguished by its dynamic weather and powerful environmental storytelling. Corpses decay over time, serving as indicators of recent battles or past skirmishes. Meanwhile, the audio design enhances gameplay with positional cues to aid players in identifying movements and threats. Composer Ryan Lott’s score intensifies the suspense and adrenaline, creating a unique auditory backdrop.
Explore Diverse Zones
Marathon features four distinct zones, each offering unique challenges and environments:
– **Outer Rim**: A beginner-friendly area with safer spaces and vast sightlines, yet still dangerous due to UESC patrols.
– **Dread Swamp**: A hazardous zone filled with anomalous entities and intense PvE encounters.
– **The Outpost**: A vertical labyrinth with traps and drones, offering high-risk, high-reward loot.
– **Cryo Archive**: The ultimate endgame zone, blending extreme environmental dangers with the toughest enemies.
Dynamic weather and large-scale events can alter these zones, reshaping player strategies in unexpected ways.
Game Mechanics and Progression
Marathon boasts an array of loot, including over 400 weapon mods and various shell types for tailored playstyles. The game introduces Rook, a Runner shell for new players to learn the ropes without risking their inventory. Progression is linked to faction agents, each offering unique contracts and rewards. The Codex serves as a hub for lore and achievements, rewarding players with cosmetics as they uncover more of the game’s mysteries.
Bungie promises a fair gaming environment, free from pay-to-win mechanics. Players can access past rewards at any time, and the game, priced at $39.99/€39.99/£34.99, includes all future updates. Originally slated for earlier releases, the launch was delayed to March 2026 following internal challenges and testing feedback. Additional details will be shared closer to release in January 2026.