Marathon Is Back — But Not How You Remember It
Bungie resurrects a classic as a modern extraction shooter for 2026
If you think you’ve caught every twist PvP shooters have to offer, Bungie’s Marathon might be ready to give you whiplash—in a good way. Set to launch on March 5, 2026 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S with full cross-play and cross-save support, this isn’t just another shooter—Marathon is Bungie’s bold reimagining of its own cult classic franchise, delivered through the lens of extraction shooter mechanics that have exploded in popularity.
From Classic Roots to Modern Mayhem
Back in the ’90s, Marathon helped put Bungie on the map. Now, nearly three decades later, the studio returns to that universe—not with a faithful remake, but with a ground-up evolution that blends tense PvPvE (player vs player vs environment) with scavenger-style progression loops. You drop into missions on the eerie, abandoned world of Tau Ceti IV, where relics of a vanished human colony lay waiting beneath derelict research stations and overgrown outposts.
Unlike a traditional campaign, Marathon drops you into live sessions with up to six squads battling both hostile AI and real players for loot, power, and survival. Everything you bring in can be lost on a failed extraction—but everything you carry out can be invested into future builds. That risk-vs-reward tension is the heart of the experience.
A World That Keeps Pulling You Back
Think of Marathon as a tactical sci-fi sandbox. You pick from customizable Runner shells (your character archetypes), tinker with gear and implants, and try to outthink and outgun rivals in rugged environments where every decision matters. The universe is designed to feel alive: dynamic threats, faction contracts that shift the meta over seasons, and emergent drama as uneasy alliances form—and dissolve—on the battlefield.
Bungie’s push into extraction shooters marks a clear shift from its Destiny era PvE focus, leaning hard into the bleeding edge of competitive co-op shooters where teamwork, timing, and tactical know-how matter as much as trigger discipline.
What to Expect at Launch
At a $39.99 / £34.99 price point, Marathon sits competitively among live-service shooters. Pre-orders are rolling out now, complete with exclusive cosmetics, faction-based rewards, and even connected bonuses if you link your Bungie account with other titles.
Bungie’s re-imagining promises more than just nostalgia—it’s built to compete with today’s heavy hitters, offering high-stakes runs, deep progression, and a persistent world that lives beyond single matches. For fans of tactical PvP hybrids and sci-fi shooters with teeth, Marathon might just be the next big ride of 2026.