From the makers of FPS behemoths Halo and Destiny, industry giants Bungie have revealed gameplay for their re-launch of the Marathon IP today. The extraction shooter will launch on September 23, 2025, on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S platforms. Here at Gamer Social Club we have been awaiting the news. So, what did we learn from the Marathon reveal today?

During the live stream, Bungie developers discussed why they're making Marathon after a decade of dedication to Destiny. One developer spoke about how they really like the idea of bringing an intense extraction, survival-based experience where you are frequently unsure about what will happen next.

We also learned that Marathon, surprisingly, in a very competitive first-person shooter market, will not be F2P. The game will not be a "˜full price' (~$70 USD) title but a price is still TBD by Bungie.

The game will not feature any single-player campaign, and is multiplayer only. Whilst this is a new entry in a long-dormant franchise, the game will not be specifically tied to the original trilogy.

Game introduction and gameplay

As was already known, Marathon is a team-based extraction first-person shooter, set in a mysterious and cutthroat world. You play as a Runner, "a cybernetic mercenary who has given up their human form for a biosynthetic shell with unique abilities and stats".

Developer promise both tactical and fast-paced combat in a group of up to 3 players. Squads will take to zones of up to eighteen players and "˜otherworldly threats'. These include AI enemies to scavenge items for glory and fortune. The world will be full of items to find and extract, which can then be taken off-world for future runs. Stakes will be high as players who die will lose all of their loot. For players who are looking for even higher stakes, there is the option to drop in to the zone as a solo player and benefit from a healthier loot pool.

Characters are called "˜Runners' and there will be six at launch. Four of these will be usable in the Alpha:

• Locus: Soldier-type build who will be the first to push forward on objectives
• Blackbird: Recon-based who will find enemy players and punish poor positioning
• Glitch: Agile disruptor class, which will push up to disrupt enemy teams and the objectives they’re undertaking
• Void: Stealth character who can use full active camo, use smoke grenades, and look to revive downed teammates.

We’ll learn more about the final two Runners at a later date.

Teams will have no limits on the number of players from each class of Runner, with Bungie saying "the only limit to how you want to play your Runner, is your loot and your imagination".

Bungie, known for sharp and precise first-person shooters, looks to have carried forward their pedigree into Marathon. From content creator footage we have watched today, gunplay looks incredibly similar to Destiny, with shooting, abilities, and movement all very recognizable. Each runner will have customizable abilities, meaning players will have different ways to play and no extraction should feel the same.

Each run will feature randomly generated world events, changing weather, and a time limit, meaning Runners will be against the clock to maximise their take-home earnings. The game will also offer endgame challenges, ranked play, seasonal storytelling, and community events during Season 1.

Art Style

From the start of the gameplay trailer today, we can clearly see that this is a Bungie-developed game. There are a lot of graphical similarities to Destiny, including character design and environments. Character models look to be very diverse, and one would expect customization will be vast and varied.

Marathon will launch with three maps, with a fourth available shortly after launch. The zone shown today included swamp-type lands. We also saw colourful, technologically advanced outposts. These have a bold and striking colour palette that could easily have been from a Mirrors Edge title.

Closed Alpha

The Closed Alpha will begin on April 23, 2025. It will be offered only in North America and be for gamers aged 18+.  To join the Alpha, players should join the Marathon Discord channel. As mentioned above, there will be four "˜Runners' in the Closed Alpha.

Although the Closed Alpha is for the North America market only, Bungie assured fans there will be further tests closer to launch.

What's next for Marathon

We should expect to hear a lot more about Marathon's Runners, maps, and more closer to launch. The title is available to wishlist now. Gamer Social Club will be covering the Closed Alpha later this month.

Are you excited by the Marathon reveal today? If you're already an extraction shooter player, has today’s reveal given you reason to be excited about a new title in the genre? Let us know in the comments below and stick with Gamer Social Club for more Marathon news.