This past Saturday, Bungie kicked off a livestream to unveil more details about their much-anticipated extraction shooter, Marathon. First announced in May 2023, details have been sparse, but as the September 23 release date approaches, Bungie is finally letting loose a torrent of information.
The event opened with a snappy introduction and a vibrant trailer, which you can check out above. After the initial sneak peek, some of the developers stepped in to walk viewers through a deeper dive into Marathon’s mechanics. This segment featured an expansive trailer narrated by none other than Ben Starr, familiar to fans of Final Fantasy 16 and Balatro, explaining the ins and outs of the game.
So, what’s the premise? Players assume the role of Runners, bio-cybernetic mercenaries, diving into the fray in squads of three. These battles unfold across several maps on the Tau Ceti IV colony.
Upon landing, teams are tasked with scouring the landscape for loot and fulfilling contracts for their home factions. Encounters with other players are inevitable, allowing for thrilling battles where you can steal opponents’ loot. Successfully extracting from Tau Ceti IV means players get to keep their hard-earned gear. However, meeting a grim fate means losing everything, including items brought into the game.
The livestream wrapped up with an intriguing short film set in the Marathon universe, crafted by Alberto Mielgo, a renowned Oscar-winning animator (The Windshield Wiper). Mielgo, who’s also contributed to projects like Love, Death & Robots and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, vividly depicted the chaotic lives of Runners, showcasing battle scenes and a test eerily similar to Blade Runner’s Voight-Kampff.
Marathon is slated for release on PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X, despite Bungie’s acquisition by Sony in early 2022. Keen players have the opportunity to sign up for the alpha test starting April 23.
While Bungie didn’t dive into Marathon’s pricing during the stream, a Bungie representative confirmed to Polygon that the game will not follow a free-to-play model and will require an upfront purchase. The specifics of this price remain a mystery, as do Bungie’s plans for any post-launch monetization.
