Bungie Reveals Marathon Gameplay, Sets September 23 Release Date

Bungie finally revealed gameplay for its upcoming first-person extraction shooter Marathon on Saturday, sharing more details about the game, including its release date. Marathon will launch on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series S/X on September 23, with a closed alpha playtest scheduled for later this month. In the gameplay showcase, the developer showed off characters, maps, the distinct art style of the game, and more.

Marathon Gameplay Reveal

Marathon will support cross play and cross saves across Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox, and is now available to wishlist on supported platforms. Bungie presented a gameplay deep dive and shared details about the setting of the online shooter at the gameplay reveal showcase. The team-based extraction shooter is set on the ghost colony on Tau Ceti IV, where teams of three "Runners" complete against rival teams and ai enemies in search of better gear.

Bungie describes Runners as cybernetic mercenaries who have given up their human form for biosynthetic shells.

Teams that survive will get to keep their loot for future runs on the Tau Ceti IV colony or on their journey to the derelict Marathon ship that hangs in orbit. “Death is part of the journey—it's a cutthroat world, and it's not possible to survive every expedition. But every time you make it out alive, you get to keep everything you scavenged, which means you'll grow in power and fill your vault across matches,” Bungie said in a PlayStation Blog post on Marathon's gameplay reveal.

Runners and Story Details

Players will be able to choose from six playable Runners that come with unique abilities and skillsets. Over the course of their runs, players can collect implants and other equipment that allow them to shape their Runner's playstyle.

“For example, Glitch is all about agility, movement, and going fast. You can lean into this style harder by stacking implants and upgrades that reduce heat build-up and allow you to keep running, jumping, and sliding longer before having to cool down,” senior design lead Kevin Yanes said.

Marathon narrative will largely consist of environmental storytelling, Bungie said. Players will be encouraged to explore and uncover Tau Ceti IV's mysteries with the help of scattered clues and files stored on computer terminals.

“At the end of the day, our goal with Marathon is not to tell a story, but to build worlds in which stories can and will unfold,” narrative leader Jonathon Goff said.

Marathon Closed Alpha Playtest

According to Bungie, Marathon has incorporated player feedback from early playtests, and further playtests will take place before the game launches on September 23.

“We're beyond excited to invite more players into Marathon and to hear what they think,” game director Joe Ziegler said. “Plus we have so much more to share in the weeks and months ahead. The journey is really just getting started.”

The Marathon closed alpha test will begin April 23 and last till May 4. Players can sign up for the first playtest on the game's official Discord. The closed alpha will be available to players who are 18+ and located in North America, Bungie said.