Bungie has finally announced the release date for Marathon, and the wait is almost over. The studio confirmed that the highly anticipated shooter and extractor will launch on March 5th for $40.
Alongside the release date announcement, Bungie also revealed a new gameplay trailer and shared new details about the Deluxe Edition of Marathon. Pre-orders are now open on Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S, with full cross-platform support, allowing players to play together regardless of their location.
This is a significant moment for Bungie. Marathon is their first completely new game since Destiny 2 in 2017, and it reimagines a beloved 90s classic with a modern twist.
Set in 2850, the new Marathon immerses players in a sci-fi world as “Runners,” who team up in trios to collect loot, survive in hostile environments, and battle AI-controlled enemies and rival players. Unlike the original Marathon, which was a single-player shooter with a compelling storyline, this version is primarily designed as a multiplayer shooter against other players and the environment.
What delayed Marathon’s release?
The road to its March release wasn’t easy. Bungie originally planned to launch Marathon in September, but the game was delayed last June following negative feedback from the initial beta test.
Players criticized the cluttered user interface, said the shooting mechanics lacked power, and felt the overall pace of the game was slower than other shooters on the market. Bungie justified the delay as necessary time to re-evaluate the platform rather than rushing the game’s release.
Since then, Bungie has continued testing the game and recently added features like nearby voice chat and a single-player option, indicating the studio’s proactive response to initial feedback.
However, Marathon is launching in a much more competitive environment than Bungie initially anticipated, with extraction-based shooters like ARC Raiders enjoying considerable success. It remains to be seen whether Marathon will be able to secure its own place, but players will finally discover its true position by March.
